His Turn
by Aquar0cks
Summary: 'As much as he tried to fight whichever demon plagued him with those intense images in his eyes, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering back to what the sickly boy hated most of all.' He always came in second, but now it's his turn to show her. Octayna
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own PJO or HOO**

**Okay as I said on my other PJO story **_**Never Let Go**_** that is about Jeyna (I just love doing topics not many other people write about) this is the story I'm writing about Octavian and Reyna. It is set before TLH and is before Jason and Reyna had deep feelings for each other and after the SON.**

**Well...um...read on and I hope you don't severely hate it...**

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><p>As much as he tried to fight whichever demon plagued him with those intense images in his eyes, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering back to what the sickly boy hated most of all. When his mind filled with images of her he couldn't contain the pure ecstasy that filled his heart for his unhealthy guilty little pleasure that he knew he could never break, she was like his drug and he was an addict. The small trembles that made his body quiver when she came to mind made his heart wrench inside for he knew she was an unattainable goal.<p>

He was so _pathetic_, he couldn't even stop himself from wanting her, why would she; the perfect daughter of Bellona and the starlet of camp after such a short time ever give another glance at the boy who was only a _descendant _of Apollo, he had been told numerous times he wasn't a true demigod and didn't deserve the right to reside in Camp Jupiter's grounds.

But still she filled his mind. Her shady hair that cascades down the side of her heart shaped face in a flawless braid that glistened in the sun making it look even more immaculate. Her piercing dark eyes that scour every corner for any information left untold, as her amiable lips are pushed into a thin line. Octavian couldn't get her out of his mind, she was so picturesque it was uncanny yet she was strong and poised; a true leader of the Romans. He wished he was her, a feared overseer not the boy with crazed eyes whose family had been around camp for over a century, he had heard it all; anything said about him always seemed to be faintly echoing in the back of his mind...

_Freak_, _monster, abomination, worthless, crazed, weird, creepy, slimy, weasel, rat, ugly..._the list went on, each word cutting deeper and deeper into Octavian's already scarred heart.

The gaunt fourteen-year-old couldn't comprehend what he had done to deserve such a terrible life, his parents hated him from the moment he was born and the only vice he could ever think of in his life was having the gift of prophecy from his dear descendant Apollo. His parents may have loathed him for it and shown their clear revulsion for their sons aberrant ability, they may have expressed their frustration in bad ways that eventually lead him to run to Lupa for a safe haven but at least it finally got him some recognition at camp.

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><p>After so much time he still felt breathless every time she entered a room with the air of grace that seemed to envelope her in a perfect shell, the now eighteen-year-old couldn't help but notice how much things had changed, for better or for worse. He had become the official Auger of Camp Jupiter and was a part of the first cohort, no mean feat for someone who wasn't a 'true demigod.' Reyna had fallen for the golden boy at camp, the fierce Jason Grace who has monsters shrieking in trepidation and girls swoon by his very presence as he gladly took the praetorship position with his darling Rey after the war. Jason had an air of confidence and self assurance the other blond could only dream of possessing, but where Grace had a reason to be so secure, Octavian was always in a constant fight for approval and the power he knew he needed to stay in his refuge. While Jason sat comfortably at the top of the pile in all his might as being son of the mighty Jupiter, Octavian was always trying to dig his hands into the pile to claw his way up and stop himself from dropping off the edge into the abyss below.<p>

It also made Reyna notice him. Those dark coffee brown eyes that were so abstruse and tantalizing the lowly boy as he slowly moved up ranks and she was soon frequently at his neck, both in dispute at almost every turn. He didn't mean to at first, but he found that the more he went against her; the more interested she became in him, even if she loathed him with every fibre of her perfect being, at least she now knew his name and whenever she called it out he couldn't help but let a small smile dance across his lips no matter what tone she used.

When her other half disappeared Octavian couldn't hide his pleasure as he slowly began pushing her to letting him become praetor...to others it seemed to power hungry and malicious of him as he seemed to vindictively and blatantly tell her to move on and let him become co-praetor. All he ever wanted was to get closer until Percy Jackson appeared and had the same air, if not stronger, of confidence that Jason had as he strode around camp and fought valiantly on many occasions as Octavian wished he could do. No matter how hard he tried to stop him, it was no use as he watched the place beside Reyna be filled once more by another handsome boy who seemed to have most girls enticed. Could you really blame him for being jealous?

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><p><em>Greek<em>. The boy in the white toga sighed as he screamed that the Greeks should not be trusted, how easily they could destroy the camp and everything he had worked so hard to build and was still moulding into shape. It was all came crumbling down when the mighty ship disembarked onto a clear space that seemed to be one of the many training grounds.

Dark and jet black haired figures stood in front of the alignment of troops as Octavian let out a sigh as Jackson ran forwarded and enveloped a blond girl in a fierce embrace almost as soon as her tanned legs touched down on the ground. She was pretty, but not as appealing as another girl he knew.

Then _he_ walked off the ship smiling with two others that Octavian didn't notice, his eyes were too busy zooming in on the boy who had tormented him every day just by being with the girl the son of Jupiter was fully aware had captivated the Auger ever since he had told him all those years ago.

**Flash back**

"_Who?' Jason asked as he let his startling blue eyes search the room as he looked for the girl his secret friend had just spent the last training session gushing over in his odd way. The blond knew to everyone that Octavian was a spineless little demigod wannabee __**(**_**spelling?)**_ but to Jason he was a ashen faced scrawny older boy who had had a terrible upbringing, and who he stuck by ever since Octavian had helped him pick out his first sword. _

"_Her," Octavian nodded in the direction once more of where Reyna stood talking with a hard expression on her face as she carefully answered every question thrown at her by older campers with precision._

"_W...wow, she's..." Jason stuttered before trailing off with marginally wider eyes than the size they were before they had taken in the girl that was Reyna._

"_Do you think she's noticed me yet?" Octavian whispered across to Jason who rolled his eyes,_

"_Come on man, you've got to give yourself more credit, in fact I'm pretty sure she just sent a glance this way," Jason replied, "somebody's got it bad, Octavian, you better be careful," he added with a sing song voice that rang around the room but was noticed by no one._

**End of Flashback**

He plastered a fake smile on his face when Jason slid quietly into his room, even though in public they hated each other's guts in private they were still the same boys from before. How Octavian had congratulated Jason when he had announced how Reyna and he were going on a date that had taken many talks with Lupa to convince them to be able to leave camp. How it hurt him inside and how he was crushed to know his only friend had stabbed him in the back with the blade the two had picked out together before Jupiter had granted Jason his very own sword as a present.

"You're back," Octavian stated as Jason clambered over stacks of paper and piles of stuffed animals that littered the floor of the room until he reached his secret friend who he had slowly grown apart from over the years.

"I've got a problem," was the first thing he stated, the ears of the 'unsightly' boy quirked up as they listened intently, "its Reyna."

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><p>How could one boy get into such a mess? Octavian couldn't deny the small part of his heart that was overjoyed that Jason wasn't perfect and that Reyna still could be his as he thought back to what the tanned boy had cried out last night. <em>He had found another<em>, that part had made Octavian feel slightly sick to his core that somebody could hurt something as seamless as the daughter of the goddess of war by finding another, _he didn't remember,_ how could he ever forget such a textbook face as hers, _guilty about what happened with Piper and unsure about his next step..._he was going to talk to both girls together so they could work out an outcome.

In his cracked mirror, Octavian examined himself and wondered if Jason knew how lucky he was for having two beautiful girls wanting him, would any girl ever feel about him how two felt about Grace. But with a slight pang in his heart he knew he would rather die alone then end up with any girl besides Reyna, he would rather end up heartbroken and left in the dust with his world crumbled to ruins with her having a happy life completely unaware about how he felt then to have him pretend to move on with another girl who he could never replicate the feelings they felt for him and he felt for the girl that would never know.

"Octavian?' a tentative voice called from the doorway, he closed his eyes waiting for his dream to end and the girl that seemed to be too good to be true to disappear back into his mind taking a piece of his mind with her.

"I have a delivery for you," it continued.

Octavian snapped his eyes open in alarm as he stared into the mirror to see through all the grime and cracks littering it, Reyna standing in all her glory in his doorway, waiting for him to turn. The beautiful in a blur of purple and gold.

"It was left in my quarters by mistake and I decided to deliver it in person for the reason I have never seen this side of camp," she continued on, slightly musing off some kind of idea in her head.

"Never?" he asked as he turned to face her, the figure that seemed to glow and radiate light into his dark and gloomy room, the roof slightly leaking from the rain pelting down outside.

"I had no need to ever travel to your personal quarters before," she responded as she wiped her ivory hand down her purple toga in an attempt to clear some of the water off, "it wasn't raining as hard as it is now when I began my journey," she answered the silent question ringing around the dank room as she rung her braid with her hands, "but I've been in worst."

"Would you like a towel?' he asked slowly as she placed a large envelope on the small wooden table near the door with the shaky leg.

"That would be nice," she sighed as she turned to look around back at the door, "I wouldn't have barged in here like that but I did knock many times and I had been waiting numerous minutes."

"My apologies, I was distracted," he stated almost instantly as he handed her his cleanest towel that only contained three blood stains from when he had been injured.

"clean towel," she muttered in the voice she always used that seemed to contain no emotion and was stern, he loved it.

"it takes a long time to reach the other side of camp where your cabin is," _where all the good cabins are_ he added in his head, "it's a thunderstorm out there, you should stay until it dies down." It was true; lightning could be seen flashing through the windows and thunder could be heard booming a deafening boom. If only they had a weather resistant barrier like the Greek camp did.

"I've faced more than a little rain and thunder," she let out a breathy laugh as she turned to leave, "but maybe another time," she answered as she turned to the door but hesitated at the handle.

"Jason would be waiting at my quarters to talk again," she deliberated quietly to herself as a crack of hope spread like wildfire throughout Octavian's body, "I do not feel like conversing with him again, maybe it would be best if I stay for a few moments."

With that she sent a glance at Octavian before walking deeper into the cabin, "I never expected you to live in a place like this, I always expected the great Auger to reside somewhere different, " she stated as she sent her eyes darting around the room memorising everything.

They may be on shaky terms with all of the negative energy Octavian has put in between them to get her to notice him, but now she was without a boy by her side and they had an entire night to get to know each other more even if she was hesitant she preferred him over Jason which means he must have handled that situation very poorly.

"Rey, you here?" that was until Jason strode through Octavian's door without as much as a glance in the owners direction as he stared down on the praetor, "I need to talk to you, is that a towel; do you mind I'm soaked."

The eighteen-year-old sighed as he yet again fell in behind Jason as the two talked in the corner leaving the Auger to his own thoughts. How he wished she was his.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading, even if you hated it thanks for taking the time to read it!<strong>

**I know most of you are probably thinking I'm crazy for writing an Octayna (is that their name) story, I also know Octavian must seem OOC because I showed him from what I thought he could have been thinking and what his insight was...so yeah...**

**Should I add another one or two chapters or should I leave it without a proper ending?**

**Please tell me if I should continue :) :)**

**Thank you :) :) (I've got a 'thing' with doing ':) :)')**


	2. Chapter 2

**I did not, do not and will not ever own PJO or HoO.**

**I decided to do another chapter (even though it is kind of short) for all those who reviewed and told me to continue, thank you all for your comments and this chapter goes out to you...**

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><p>He gauchely shuffled around the clammy room as he began to thrust objects around the room to make a small space on his worn yellowing couch for the girl he cherished and boy he had made a companion in to sit and discuss whatever matters made the coal haired girl fancy staying in the filthy clustered room than to return to her own much more spacious and tidy room. No doubt the two now comfortably seated on his once cream settee had no worries about putting aside the roof leaking or wind rattling against his cobwebbed and cracked windows to talk.<p>

Octavian rubbed his calloused hands together as he ambled over to his grimy fireplace and carefully struck a match from his meagre pile as he steadily lit a piece of crumbled up newspaper and placed it swiftly next to the damp wood resting in the middle of hearth, almost taunting him to reach inside and envelope the warmth instead of letting the vibrant glow fill his dreary quarters.

A heartrending smile polished his puffy pink lips as slumped over to his sink as listened to the two behind him bickering, his small eyes darting behind him to perceive what was occurring but turned when he noted startling blue orbs gazing back.

"Reyna, please don't make me go on knowing you hate me, all I did was explain the situation I'm in to you and you start acting so juvenile and immature," Jason's voice can be heard clear as it slowly ricochets off the walls and around the diminutive area.

"Oh please, don't treat me like one of your new little Greek friends, Jason," the level in the noticeably low voice of Reyna bubbles out of her mouth as Octavian runs a wan fingers through his dull blond hair, "I understand the situation perfectly clear and I do not need you trying to explain it to me again, to me it is simple; if you cared about me as much as I thought you wouldn't need to decide between me and a girl you've known for less than a year. You are not the Jason I know, he would have left that child of Aphrodite a long time ago and not given her a second thought, but the boy sitting before me has chosen the opposite and is not the boy I like felt ardour to. Let me make your choice simple Grace, go with the Greek because as far as I am concerned whatever we had in the past is over and from now on our relationship is going to be strictly professional." Octavian noted the steely way she pronounced each letter and the definitive tone in her voice meaning what she said was final.

"Very well," Jason replied after an extensive silence, he knew that the female had finished the conversation, "would you like my assistance in walking back to your cabin, I could shelter us from the rain?"

"No thank you," came the curt response as Octavian heard his couch sigh as weight was removed and the sluggish and gradual footsteps taken before the shrill squeak of the Augur's door being opened and almost silently shut. With every step taken by the now seemingly defeated boy Octavian's heart took a quick reel with excitement as it swum around in its own pile of ecstasy, for another moment in time, the black haired beauty was without a mate and her breathtakingly scenic being was sitting in an ideal place for Octavian to slide in and take the place he had always craved to be placed in as his desires were finally coming true.

That was until he heard the almost noiseless sound emanating from behind where the gaunt figure was now steadily angling his slight frame to stare upon the enigmatic face of the frozen Reyna, her endearing murky eyes illustrating indecipherable messages as her mind began to whirl in a bustle of thoughts. Her once idyllic lips now almost discreetly letting out a small tremble that had played across the boys face too many times before.

His sickly need and lust for the girl before him was taken over with the side that cared deeply about the still stiff entity on his divan and felt the pain coming from the recently cracked heart of the ivory skinned praetor. The throbbing agony that Octavian went through every day from his images of Reyna felt like a small sting compared to the heart wrenching torment seeing her being washed over with grief made his feel. He wished he could take it away before when his covert friend had seemingly abandoned camp, he thought that was the worst state he could see her in but now she looked completely shell-shocked and broken.

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><p>Being the coward he was he had left her there, strode to his desk and immersed himself in sheets of words that never seemed to stick to his heavy brain as he fought the erg to comfort and console the daughter of Bellona instead of hiding himself behind words he paid no mind to. As much as he tried to concentrate, his cool eyes kept scanning the room and hearing the onslaught of rain beating down on his roof, every drip that hit one of the many rusted pots around his room seemed to magnify in sound and hang in the air until the next spot of water dribbled down from the a crack in his holey ceiling and walls. His mind was caught in constant battle as he tried reasoning with himself to allow himself to stop the madness he had led himself into and go and show some kind emotions to the daughter of Bellona. His mind was split in two as he argued:<p>

'_She'll think you see her as weak and yourself as pathetic and dense as to try and comfort her in such a mood'_

'_I can't let her just sit there,'_

'_Yes you can, she is the praetor of camp and you are a impractical small Auger who she despises and is constantly at the throat of, what austere motive would she have dug up in her mind for you to use?'_

'_But,'_

'_No, in her eyes you are a lowly older boy who has great joy stabbing teddy's and being a psychotic power hungry weakling who hides behind his status as a shield from being shunned away.'_

He had no answer to what had been laid out before him by his seemingly practical side of his brain, _the side that doesn't follow futile things such as emotions and sees outcomes instead of what is just before him in the present._ How could he truly be such a skilled speaker if he can't even win a fight with himself, he was not even worthy to be Auger, let alone co-praetor alongside someone as cool headed and magnificent as Reyna who had not shed a single tear in the time she had sat inert there. Maybe his mother and father were right?

**Flashback**

"_You pathetic leech of society, how dare you show off your abnormality to anybody you see," a shrill voice screeched, "You vile and despicable being, no matter what you think you will always be a worthless little monster in our eyes!'The six year olds eyes widened in size as his mother spat in his face, his father having the same look of pure disgust on his face as he slowly shook his head._

"_I'm sorry mummy...I didn't mean to disappoint you," the young blond whimpered as he tried to hide the small tear trickling down his face being noticed, that was only seen as weakness in his parents eyes._

"_Disappoint me, too late for that," his mother continued, letting out a disturbing chuckle, "I pray to my dear descendant Apollo for a child, and he delivers me such an utter abomination that it pains me to even look at your hideously ugly face. You are a weakling and no matter what happens to you I swear you will always be despised everywhere you turn, you worthless rat."_

"_If all you can do is outshine your own parents with your little party trick then think again, this is our house and here you follow our rules, why he chose you to bestow such 'a great gift' when you were younger I will never know besides how much of a curse it truly is and how no matter what happens you will never amount to anything. Now get out of our sight you slimy little worm!" His father joined in as Octavian slumped forward clutching his now crimson cheek and swollen lip, by now he was used to the physical pain but each time his parents found enormous pleasure in creating new ways to taught him with different words that they lashed out at him._

"_Never listen to them," a small voice in the back of his head murmured, but after time that voice that had once shouted out with such conviction Octavian had let the words thrown at him by his parents slide off, but with time the voice grew smaller and smaller until this time around it was only like a faint whisper in the breeze._

**End of Flashback**

"Octavian, you look pale, is everything alright?' an emotionless voice pulled his back from the memory he had sucked himself into, but it was the owner of the voice that made the now clammy young man pull away from his small recollection from long ago.

Eyes closed he slowly opened them to see dark chocolate orbs scanning his face, the fiery gaze scrutinized the boy for a moment longer before abruptly pulling back, a slight blush could be picked up on her rosy cheeks that only someone who had studied every centimetre of her face in his mind like Octavian notice.

"You have seemed very distracted, did it disturb you?' her lips parted slightly to query as the eighteen-year-old pieced together how close he was to the young woman before him and how painfully tight he had balled his fist.

"They are not for all," she continued as she slowly pulled away, releasing her grasp on his hands, "you were screaming and your fists were..." she trailed off as Octavian noticed the golden clump in his now open hand.

The sheets. After years of deciphering others words he learnt to be very observant and notice the seamless girl glance down at the paper before her before gently but firmly pulling them away.

"The casualties on this sheet happened in a very horrific way, no one deserves to die in such a way," Reyna breaths with a faraway look in her eyes.

Octavian closed his eyes for a breif moment as he began searching his brain to recall what had been written on those particular sheets, if only he had been paying attention.

"Very... my apologies for my actions," he decided to go along with what the braided figure in purple and gold was saying as he avoided eye contact, slightly embarrassed by his actions and hoping that she would not ask him anything about the contence of the sheet, "it will not happen again, it just came as a shock and after today..."

A hand grasped his chin and angled it toward the owner, "I understand, Octavian, everyone has days as such and yours was today," she frowned, the words she was uttering sounded foreign coming from her lips, both saying the blonds name in a kinder way and trying to play the sympathetic leader. But she couldn't help but silently thank Octavian for obliviously breaking her out of her trance in which she was truly grateful for.

With an awkward pat on the shoulder the elegant figure marched to the door and thrusted in open, sending a gauche and rare smile his way she stepped outside the door, the rain had stopped as her ebony hand swished past the doorway followed by an ivory hand pulling it shut. Her lips had moved as she had departed, but Octavian was still rubbing his shoulder where her fingers had been moments before with a dazed smile on his puffy lips.

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><p><strong>Now again I'm going to ask if this should be continued or not...it's up to all of you...<strong>

**Thanks for reading :) :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own PJO or HoO**

**Wow you guys are all so amazing, I'm so happy that you all seemed to want another chapter and here it is...**

**P.S this contains more of what happens to Octavian and I edited it from the version I originally had to make it more 'age friendly' but it might still be a bit bad (not to me but someone might not like it) so you have been warned...continue...this is kind of a filler chapter but anyway...**

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><p>It was here that had become his favourite spot. Over the many times his grimy and tarnished boots had trudged over the grounds he had finally discovered a clearing that once concealed by shrubbery and foliage, lead into the perfect place that lay practically untouched by the outside world. With his blade before him, Octavian had sliced and hacked at all of the branches and vines that seemed to enjoy wrapping themselves around him in a tangle of green and brown. It was a lengthy walk; but the boy loved how when he finally arrived in the one place he could call his own how he could lye back on the silky sea of green instead of the prickly grass around camp. It was here that he lay his aching head, blond locks sweeping up dirt, leaves and sticks with each movement made. When he closed his eyes Octavian could imagine he was anything but the disgrace he had become; he could block out the faint drone of the camp that seemed miles away and let his mind wander and imagination take hold. When his eyes opened he could stare up at a clear blue sky, a piece of scenery that never seemed to exist over Camp Jupiter; how unblemished it looked, so clean and pure, it was up above the world and all of its seemingly endless problems and exist up high with the clouds. When he would use his spindly arms to exert enough energy to pull himself into a sitting position he could survey the entire area and take in the pure tranquillity that seemed to ooze and seep of everything there, he could see the flowers of multicolour and how them seemed to have been dribbled over the small space by a giant hand. It was purely nature, and he was with it alone for only but a moment as he seemed lost in time, he didn't doubt that others would soon find his area and mark it as their own – maybe Lupa would learn of its presence and change it into another blood splattered training area. But for now it was his until another broke through the brush in the same way they would have broke through his dream of ever truly being as happy as he was right now.<p>

The breeze had increased and Octavian could feel it gently drumming against his skin and diving throughout his matted mane of straw coloured hair, his thoughts at ease as he inhaled the sweet scent of earth and honey-suckle before slowly standing and fading into the surrounding tree line.

He knew that he had a long distance to trek, and with each step how cheerless and depressing he became as he took in the thoughts of running back and staying in his clearing forever, but he had become accustomed to them and only needed to push them aside gently until his mind wandered to his pace and what speed he needed to arrive before the morning roll call.

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><p>The eighteen-year-old wheezed slightly as he came to a standstill outside the entrance to his quarters, his training session had been cut short after his sparring partner struck him in an uppercut that hooked under his armour and at such an angle pierced his ribcage and left him sprawled on the ground wheezing and coughing up blood. Of course the hit had been on purpose, the now severely maiming rule never seemed to apply in the case of Octavian as he received blow after blow from his opponents who like ghosts – vanished without being seen or caught- I wasn't like Lupa was not aware of the happenings in fact she seemed to be well informed of such events. It builds the character you are lacking pup or <em>it is not in the way of a true Roman to complain about the acts of another in a fight, there are no rules in a true brawl <em>where what Lupa usually snarled whenever the matter was brought out into the open. The boy being a son of Apollo let out a malicious laugh as he sent an almost undetectable kick into the wounded boys middle, it frequently was an Apollo child who did the deed, something about being only a relative of their father and a disgrace to the name Apollo sparked them off into a type of spiteful frenzy which left the blond boy in the dust with new gashes to add to the scars of his old.

It was not uncommon for Octavian to be excused from training to return to his quarters, after all the Apollo campers had refused to treat him saying that if he were a true descendant of Apollo healing his sores should be child's-play. The other assistance followed the words of the more medically skilled group and rejected the boy leaving him with only a cold shoulder.

Barley able to stand he soon collapsed onto his forever stained yellowing coach and clutched his chest hoping he was successfully holding in most of the blood that seemed to love pouring out of his body in little streams made up of the tiny beads of crimson. Still with his laboured breaths he gulped in the air that seemed to pain him with every suck but always seemed to leave him breathless and at need for more, quick steady pants escaped his lips as he closed his already lolling eyes and began to take in the scene that was dancing over his closed eyelids.

**Flashback**

"_Please mummy, I said I was sorry; just not again," the young boy sobbed as his ear piercing shriek echoed throughout the almost empty house again, the firm hand slashing across the already blood splattered back as more blood smeared against the blue cotton dress the lady was holding her son over. As the hand arched downwards, the already bare and bloodied lashes on the red back began to burn even more in protest as the young child tried desperately to wriggle free. _

"_When did you possibly think that you were so important as to tell me what to do?" came the cold and incredulous reply as the once faulted hand was brought down speedily, never slowing as it came in contact with skin and let out a thunderous beat that was quickly followed by a deafening howl. _

_A cruel smile formed on her lips as she released the hold she had on her son and by grabbing him by his tangled hair, yanking him to the door and threw it open; she then shoved the five year old forward where he landed on the bitter snow outside on his back. Defeated and whimpering the boy lay there drained of energy as he felt the pain slowly ebb away, but the blood stained the snow red as he raised a small shaky finger and used it to stop a line of blood continuing downwards. _

_He didn't mean to do it, but it just seemed to tempt him as soon as his eyes had fallen upon the golden coloured blade – a sword- he had been told for as long as he could remember to stay away from his parents' bedroom, but it would only take a moment to reach in and grab the partially visible sword hilt. With a hesitant step on the blue carpet, Octavian couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as he gently massaged his grubby feet through the coloured fibres. The little blond had taken hesitant steps forward, never taking his gleaming eyes away from the inviting weapon; his mother was down the hallway and never usually entered the spacious bedroom while his father was out to town. Wiping his hand down his already dirt encrusted black top he tentatively reached forward until he wrapped his tiny hand around it, with a small grunt he clumsily pulled it out from behind the mahogany dresser, visibly wincing at the scuffing noise it made. After cowering for a moment he slowly loosened his tight muscles and let a small smile grace his swollen lips as he gave it an experimental swing, getting captivated by the golden glow it left wherever it turned he didn't notice the sound of heels clipping over the wooden hallway floor. _

_The boy hunched in the snow ran his now crimson finger over the gash on his face as he let another whimper escape from within, silently recalling the events that followed._

_With a sudden jolt the five-year-old realised there was a shadow falling across him, slowly he turned his eyes to see his mother standing in the doorway with her earrings in hand and half of her make-up already removed. She had been surprised to see the young boy standing there, she had only come to change her earrings and reapply her make-up, but what stunned her even more was the sword the child brandished in his hand. With a sudden almost feral sound slipping through his mothers parted lips she lunged at him and grabbed the sword, he could see her lips moving as she visibly screamed at him but all he could think was how much he was going to hurt in the morning- if there was a morning he would wake up to that is._

"_What happened to' never enter this room', huh?' she screeched, "and swinging my property around like it belongs to you and it was your damn right to use it, you little beast!" And with that she swung the sword around and clipped the shaking boy across his cheek now spraying with blood._

"_And look at all the mess you've made, do you know how hard it is to get blood out of the carpet you inconsiderate little slob," she practically seethed as she pointed a perfectly manicured finger to the blue carpet that now had been spotted with scarlet drops._

"_I'm...s...sorry...mummy...I.." but the stuttering boy was cut off by his mother gripping him and throwing the bundle of boy over her dress and using her spare hand that wasn't holding the still stuttering boy down to pull up his top and repeatedly hit him over his back. Her nails piercing his already scarred skin as he let out small moans, hoping that see would forgive him._

_With another shiver the snow covered boy opened his mouth once more and slowly whispered, "Why mummy, why?"_

**End of Flashback**

That night had been one of many he had spent bloodied outside his old home, most would wonder why he never ran but those would never understand fully. Even if over the night he would regain enough energy to run he never did, maybe it was the fear of the unknown- where would he turn, he had no one he could trust but himself- but it could have been that there was a part of him and still probably that hides just below the surface ready to bubble out at burst through his skin that shows that he truly believed that maybe- just maybe- it really was all of his fault, he never had any friends to compare lives to so for all he knew it was normal and maybe his parents were just giving him an adequate punishment for how bad he was...how much of a horrid monstrosity he was right down to his splintered core.

His thoughts were interrupted by a timid knock on the door and the steady creaking noise of it being opened, with a blink Octavian had to try and contain himself and stop his mind from being sucked back into the past and how his father used to knock in the same way before he had come and..._no, don't think about that _he scolded himself as he turned slowly to see a young camper in the doorway, she looked to be around six or seven with pitch black coils and mocha skin. The child stumbled slightly as she took a hesitant step inside and slowly turned to face the frail young man on the settee,

"I was requested to inform you that Lupa would like to speak with you as soon as possible and for you to go to her as soon as you see fit," her high voice quavered as she tried to avoid meeting the Augers eyes, "that is all."

With that the girl bolted out of the door like the alarm had sounded for an attack, her small frame practically evaporating into the breeze now diving throughout the cabin from the opened door.

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><p>After bandaging himself up to the best of his ability he let out a groan as he stood slowly, wiping the slight spittle and blood away from the corner of his forever puffy lips that had permanently been left in a slightly swollen manner. With that the boy began to limp with great difficulty out the rusty door and down the loose porch until he was off onto the ground slightly winded as he began puffing at loss from air, letting out a small moan at the sharp pain that shot from where the sword had temporarily been imbedded in his ribcage where it seemed to have shattered several of his already fragile ribs.<p>

Each step felt like someone was poking his gaping wound as small shock waves spiralled up his legs and into his chest which thankfully kept Octavian in a position that made it harder for him to suddenly loose the consciousness that he was still trying to get a firm grasp on. It was as he walked that a sudden hand latched up on his shoulder which made every muscle in his body tense as he anxiously turned around until his drooping eyes fell into vision with eyes that reminded him so much of his mothers.

"No...Please...I didn't mean to I swear!" he cried out as he virtually envisioned her sharpened claw like nails raking along his face leaving new cuts in his flawed skin.

He could hear word being spoken but it seemed too far off, like he was standing on the edge of a crowded room trying to decipher what the person on the other side was trying to tell him.

"I can't hear you," he tried to say but he was faintly aware of it coming out as a garbled slur of words and letters.

"Can I get some assistance over here?" a clear voice rang out as the recognizable brown eyes he was transfixed with began to morph into a pair of concerned grey orbs that looked barely identifiable, the only consolation the now drifting boy had was that the voice was too young to belong to his parent.

"Annabeth, he's bleeding quite profusely," the unmistakable tone of Reyna called as he felt the air being forced out of him while cool fingers began pressing steadily down on his wound.

"He also seems to be delusional, wait here with him while I go get some help, honestly I have no idea why he didn't go and get medical attention straight away- this is very bad," the grey eyes suddenly disappeared and were replaced almost instantaneously with gripping chocolate eyes that even if Octavian could move his head, he wouldn't just to continue staring ahead into their never ending zone.

"Okay, I will continue applying pressure to the wound entry until you return," her heavenly voice stated in its perfect little way that made his already aching heart swell.

"That sounds like a plan," came the half-hearted response that seemed to belong to the teen who seemed to be lost in thought as the sound of scuffling feet noted her departure.

"I need you to slow your breathing; your heart rate is too high which leads to more blood being produced and the higher flow to exit out of your wound, you are overreacting- everything will surely be fine" it was her reassuring words that allowed his to slow his panting breaths down until he didn't seem to be gasping for air as much anymore.

"Good, that is perfect," she seemed to mutter more to herself, but that didn't concern Octavian; he was after all just glad he could hear her voice.

With a blur of radiant black he caught sight of her hair as he slowly blinked, she seemed to have moved her head down to get an improved hold over his gash, "I need to investigate what you have done, I am just going to take a small glance, okay?" she didn't wait as he felt a minute piece of pressure leave sending spasms up his body from the change of weight distribution.

'_No, don't be a fool, you cannot let her see, a quantity of your old scars would be visible and she would be displayed each and every slash you have ever received' _his mind cried out as alarm bells began sounding in his head.

"No!" he gasped as he tried blindly to grip her hand that had already began to completely unlatch his armour that still hung loosely by two straps.

She continued to ignore him as her hands swiftly ripped his bloodied top as he felt her eyes slowly bore into his skin like they were burning leaving scorch marks wherever they turned. At first he felt her collected gaze fall straight to his tangle of bandages he had wrapped around his chest in an attempt to stem the flow of blood, the click of her tongue as she studied his hurried technique, quickly straightening it slightly to improve it until proper medical help came. It wasn't like they could leave him now the praetor and Percy Jacksons girlfriend - he knew Annabeth sounded familiar- had pacifically asked for assistance.

A sudden intake of breath assured Octavian that Reyna's pure curiosity that had always lurked within her had forced her to give the rest of his body a quick once over, insuring she saw every detail including the scars ranging from older to newer that littered his body in varying colours of white to pink.

"Octavian,' she gasped out, her voice ringing out incredulously as if trying to convince herself that what she was gaping down at was all a horrible illusion brought on by her brain from too much stress in such a short amount of time.

"I didn't want you to see," he whispered in a strangled gargle that he was sure her well enhanced ears could pick up and decipher.

Suddenly her eyes appeared in his field of vision that for a short while was staring up at a greying skyline. They were filled with the expected horror and scepticism that he could practically see coming through the fiery pain that engulfed the sickly boy. There was also a part of her eyes that told his something that if he could, would make he sigh in relief for knowing that there was a part of her no matter how deep it was, that instead of feeling sorry for him- felt acceptance and maybe even a hint of understanding, but Octavian had to admit that he was too far out of it to be reading her properly.

_Please don't apologise, please don't say you are sorry_ he couldn't help but think as could feel her open her mouth as she tried to form logical words for the sight she had just seen that could express what she was feeling.

"...Harsh," was all she finally muttered in a small voice as her eyes softened considerably and her eyes crinkled slightly in a way that meant she was giving him a small reassuring smile.

With that she gently pulled down his tattered top and placed her hands over the blood spilling hole below his ribcage going in an angle suggesting the blade pierced upwards through his ribcage and narrowly missed his heart, "I expect an explanation," she stated in a cordial voice as the fair-haired boy became aware of the sound of footsteps drawing closer, "As soon as you are well again we should meet, perhaps someone's quarters unless you have another private place to meet so we can discuss our findings today in complete and utter privacy."

Her voice had come out in a low whisper as her was quickly pulled back and replaced with a veil of darkness he had been trying to hold off ever since the knife had penetrated his skin. The last conscious thought he had was that Reyna had just about nearly asked him out, and Octavian knew that was perfectly fine with him even though he would have to bring up some painful memories to get there. He was ready to at least open up and let someone in, and if that person had to be the most enticing, scenic and fiercest warrior he could name then Octavian could safely say that things were defiantly starting to go his way.

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><p><strong>Continue...yes...no...maybe?<strong>

**Thank you all for reading this far and to all my reviewers for being so supportive!**

**Also to all of the readers who embraced the idea of an Octayna fic instead of sending me heaps of flames...it is greatly appreciated. **

**Thank you :) :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Please don't kill me!**

**I'm so sorry about being so MIA but my mum took me on a really long holiday to a place with no internet...well at least I'm back now and can go on with the story.**

**I send a thank you to all the people who take the time to read this.**

**I also send out a SPECIAL thank you to all who have taken the time to review for which I am greatly touched. Every comment I get I take into deep account and I love to hear everyone's feelings and ideas. You've all been so supportive!**

**Thanks **_**Insanity is my second name **_**for all the comments you left, on this and my other story. You've given me great ideas and I cannot thank you enough. Oh and don't worry next chapter I'll have a flashback about what happened to his parents.**

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><p><strong>Flashback <strong>

_It was a baby. But not just any baby, a beautiful angelic looking infant with tuffs of golden hair and inquisitive blue eyes that searched the ceiling in which he or she was directed towards. Making quite gargling sounds it roughly moved its red arm around and ungraciously slammed it through pink lips and into its mouth, making a wave of saliva spurt out and dribble down and leave tracks all the way down onto the woollen blanket that securely held the blond baby in place inside its grey wood cot. Hanging above the child glinting gold in unseen sunlight, five familiar symbols spun and swayed with the wind. A lyre, laurel wreath, python, ravens and of course a gleaming bow and arrow hung suspended above the cot- the symbols of Apollo._

"_Just look at him, darling," a sugary voice stated filled with pride and _unquestionable_ love for the small figure in the seemingly newly knitted blanket._

"_I can see, dear," a voice replied, obviously this had been going on for quite some time and the man who owned the deep yet seemingly young voice that had replied was quite sick of this repetitive cycle._

_A woman walked through the archway set into the cream coloured wall, she hesitantly tip-toed into the room and walked towards what seemed to be the only piece of furniture in the entire room. The cot sat right in the middle of the room, on dirty paint splattered floorboards where carpet was surely going to be laid and a window slightly ajar sending wind and moon rays into the room of the newly bought house._

_Resting with her arms on the side of the cot she peered inside and cooed at the now gurgling boy who was waving his slobbery fist in the air and kicking his tiny little legs and feet about. The woman herself wore a simple blue cotton pyjama dress that had long sleeves and ran from her concealed collar bone down to just before the ground where thick grey socks could be seen. The dress itself was rather plain and was easily seen to be far too big for the young lady who looked to be late teens to early twenties, her shortly cropped almost unnaturally blond hair that was cut off just passed her ears._

"_I think he's getting scared, look at him," she called out worriedly as she used her stretched and tattered sleeve to delicately wipe away the spittle on what was her babies face, it was clear by the look of utter adoration in her eyes and the way she held herself that made all questions about her being too young to be a mother to this infant swallowed into the back of anyone's throat._

"_We've been over this honey, he has Apollo to protect him, and come back to bed- I'm sure he's fine and that you don't need to check him every five minutes," an exasperated sigh came from a room that seemed to be quite close._

_Ignoring the man she gently picked up the baby who was now being cradled in her arms, "you're my tough little trooper, aren't you?" she whispered downward, "but mummy can only wish she could be as fearless as you, that's why mummy needs to carry around this-" the young woman used one hand to quickly lift up her dress to reveal a newly cleaned sword hanging from a strap halfway up her thigh- "but don't tell daddy- he thinks I left it back in the other house..."_

"_Well I did until now," the male's voice chided from a distance._

"_But I know that it'll be okay, you just need to get a bit of sleep okay?"_

"_Well I'm sure he would if you wouldn't keep walking in there and lifting him up like that and talking to him," a drowsy looking boy with dark brown bangs who could be no older than his partner yawned out as he tiredly ran his hands down his dark T-shirt and stopping just before his red boxer shorts._

_Leaning his hand on the archway he nodded his head in the supposed general direction of their bedroom. The woman just rolled her eyes and began talking about how she thought it would be best for him to sleep with his parents tonight, "just until we're all used to this new house."_

_The man let out a weary groan but made no move to stop the mother of his child from retrieving the green blanket at strolling past him through the archway, angelic baby in hand. But that didn't stop the moon from outlining the smile on his face as he took an uncertain breath and followed the two out of the archway he was leaning on and after his wife and son._

**End of Flashback**

The imagery evaporated and once more Octavian was left with pitch-black behind his heavy and firmly latched eyelids that were held in place by an invisible force that seemed to burst with potency. _'You know what hurts the most,'_ a minuscule part of Octavian's subconscious whimpered out, a small timid voice in the back of his mind that was usually shunned aside but now echoed off every wall of the darkened inside of his skull, _'that there actually was a time when they loved you and you were wanted by them.'_

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><p>Groggy was the first coherent thought he collected, the eighteen-year-old sense a feeling of complete and utter dreariness and daze. Voices cut through the once placidly hushed world he had awoken into as his ears 'popped' and his eyes readjusted to being opened. From the snippets of conversation he received he couldn't help but feel slightly elated, although it could have all been a hallucination or part of a dream he had fallen into. But he was positive that no matter what dream he was hearing Reyna's voice barking out at stuttering medical staff.<p>

"_...Such appalling and pathetic reasoning..."_ he caught, _"...never in my life have I..."_ was another along with, _"...If an Apollo camper was injured you would all..."_ and finally before her heavenly voice was blocked out he heard, _"Severe punishment is in order."_

"He's regained consciousness," a cool drone let out, making any other background noises desist.

With one final tug, the blond seemed to be wrenched fully back into the world he knew instead of the horrid place he had been before, where his only comforts were disturbing memories from his past, or the worse memories- the ones that struck him down to his shattered core- the few memories he could recall where his parents actually loved him, the blissful time that was only so brief before his 'gift' was revealed and the once two most loving people in his life became that of the things that plagued his nightmares. It didn't help that his mind loved torturing him and like the tormenter it was it made every moment stuck inside his skull worse by cracking down on him with words and demonic laughter, terrorizing him for what seemed like an eternity.

His weak and ailing body intensified in the once numbed pain. His glazed over blue eyes took in the small room that seemed to radiate sickness and the smell of sweat and blood. Unable to move his stiff neck, he let his eyes dart around the pale grey ceiling until with sudden dread he felt glacial like fingers gruffly pull open his securely tightened bandages as his wound was seemingly poked and prodded relentlessly by a person who had a sardonic pleasure in watching the discomfort it caused the boy. A blinding light blazed before his recently settled pupils until it suddenly clicked off and hushed voices could be heard conferring. New bandages were quickly replacing the rapidly ripped off old ones until Octavian could no longer feel air sting against his tender skin. A rough hand grabbed his throbbing shoulder and jerked him forward in one fluid movement until he was staring at the grubby yellow walls of the camps infirmary, a sour faced Apollo camper gave his a disgruntled and curt nod before the two who had been checking him swiftly exited the room.

"Octavian,' the unmistakable bark of Lupa made the boy do his best to straighten is uncooperative muscles and try and look more fierce and strong from his position on the creaky and prickly bed.

"Lupa," the boy in question bowed his head until he heard a small rumble of acceptance of his formal gesture, "I apologise for not making it to see you."

"I was waiting for my Auger for a long time before I was informed about your incident, I was needless to say disappointed that I would have to remain waiting for you to regain consciousness before I could talk to you," the she-wolf howled, "I am needless to say not impressed."

"Yes Lupa, I cannot tell you how sorry I am for keeping you waiting."

"You're lack of judgment made me question your state of mind; nursing such a severe injury by one's self is highly dangerous and reckless. I cannot have my Auger in a life threatening situation because of his foolishness, next time do consider others before you make such rash decisions without seeking medical help."

The straw coloured strands of hair stood rigid for a moment before Octavian relaxed his muscles, the reddish coloured wolf had gone as far as he had ever seen his superior go in showing that she _cared _about _him_ in any way.

"Indeed, what was it you wished to consult with me about?" he quickly steadied his shaky voice before she could pick up the small, almost undetectable quaver in his croaky voice.

"What was going to be said need not matter at the moment, I have elsewhere to be and will converse with you at 700 hours tomorrow," yapped the mighty being before she turned and slipped out of the room with a hint of urgency in her usually impassive movements.

* * *

><p>Quiet bickering could be heard outside the room as campers discussed the best way to get him out of the room.<p>

"We have much to discuss. Come."

Looking up for a split second, he stumbled his way out of the bed and using the seemingly dainty arm of Reyna as support he was promptly led out of the room and past surprised looking Apollo children. Holding his scraggy hand over his ribs he blinked back the black fuzz that was relentlessly trying to cloud his vision, slightly breathless and still aching and stiff he was discreetly led away, only attracting the attention of Annabeth who simply nodded in their direction and return to her book. Finally he was led into one of the few empty offices that still required an occupant. Being shoved unceremoniously into a chair, the praetor strode behind the desk and sat elegantly in the upholstered chair. Her hands forming a steeple, she sat there staring intently at the male opposite her.

"I have not the time nor patience for any drivel, just straight answers," her voice taking on a formal tone that she used often and using her piercing chocolate eyes to hold his own plain blue orbs to stop him from looking away.

"Very well, what would you like to know?" He could tell he was being idiotic and reckless by practically opening himself up to someone who he spent the majority of his time bickering with and secretly idolising. Becoming an open book he prepared for her to begin interrogating him, but the thing that confused and perplexed him was that he felt like he was taking an actual real breath for the first time since he escaped. He wanted, no needed to get it off his chest and be free from the things that had been haunting him for for years, and he finally could stop subconsciously hunting for the person to confide in because there she was virtually giving him no other choice but to do so.

"Why did you not go to the infirmary straight after you were stabbed?' he never expected her to query about that but this was his one chance to unload freely before returning to his old ways of being known as the manipulative Auger who had a silver tongue- and if that meant going through questions like that to do so then so be it. Furthermore, it was possible that by telling Reyna she could assist him in becoming hurt and getting treated.

"I don't feel comfortable discussing..."

"This is a serious matter that I would hate to bring to the attention of others but the way you are leading this I may have no other choice. I swear Octavian no matter what it is I am responsible for the safety and wellbeing of every single camper her e at Camp Jupiter. For now I am intent of finding the answers to my questions and no matter what I _always _get my answers, there is no right or wrong answer, for now tell me everything so I can restore some order- it would be better telling me than myself and a group of others."

There was a genuine part of her that for some strange reason cared about the answers this seemingly egotistical narcissist who has been a manipulative little liar and power hungry being since she finally got to know the real him. But was that truly him- there was something else, maybe it was the way he seemed upset about those casualties where she assumed he would have brushed it off, or the way for the past three days he had seemed different. Him collapsing before Annabeth and herself had caught more of her attention and the way he stared up at her with unseeing eyes and seemed terrified of who he believed he was seeing. And the scars.

"They refuse to treat me,' he stated simply, "they believe that if I were a true descendant to Apollo I would be capable of treating myself in a fit manner.

If she seemed surprised Reyna didn't show it at all, the fact that she had heard it before from the people in the infirmary may have helped as she received already 'old news.' Her heart-shaped face didn't move a fraction and every feature stayed the same on her pretty face, years of practicing made her virtually unemotional when need be.

"You talk like this has happened many times before, how often and why."

"It has, numerous times- usually minor injuries- it occurs whenever anyone seems fit. They ..."

"Go on," she urged.

"I am targeted by campers; it seems to be a type of conspiracy against me where all campers keep it silent whilst others physically attack me."

"I can see that as a possibility, you are not kind to most campers and like throwing your power around which must anger some. The fact that you are a descendant and not a son of a god and in such a high position of power must agitate others...it is quite a plausible claim, have you done anything about it?"

"I attempted to tell Lupa but she did not seem concerned. That is all."

"Very well," she concluded, Octavian getting a tingle of excitement about the look of deep thought in her eye. He did not like the feeling on telling this all to anyone, he felt slightly like a young child not being able to take care of his own problems and running to tell the teacher. It was needless to say not his proudest moment...but if anyone could get something done it would be Reyna. There would defiantly be repercussions to his actions when it came out that he had told, he could practically imagine _their_ faces- but the point was that for a moment he felt slightly content talking to the girl opposite him- blocking out all of his guilty feelings he could feel in the pit of his stomach he let out a breath he was not aware of holding.

"I will look into it. Now what about your scars, they mainly seem to be old, where from though?"

And so he opened his mouth to tell the expectant Reyna everything.

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><p><strong>Okay I know Octavian may seem slightly OOC- I'm not actually that proud of this chapter but wanted to put something up for everyone. I promise the next chapter will be WAY more thought out.<strong>

**What do you all think Lupa wants to say to Octavian (because I have absolutely no idea!) and what should happen with Reyna and him? Also next chapter should I involve the reaction of the campers on discovering that Octavian 'told'?**

**I'm also going to try and make him sound fiercer as well...just to let you know...**

**Thanks :) :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own anything and never will!**

**You probably all hate me right now, huh?**

**Well, I just moved and was deprived of internet for what felt like forever until I just got it a day ago. So I wrote up this chapter ASAP and hope I haven't been abandoned on lack of being MIA for a long time. Thanks to all my amazing reviewers and I hope you enjoy the chapter, it involves the meeting with Reyna which kind of went on too long so tomorrow there will be a chapter about what the camp does after finding out Octavian told and what Lupa has to say.**

**P.s. sorry again.**

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><p>Time, to some it can be a great ally- but to others it can become their undoing. It's an uncontrollable force that is always stirring, never ceasing in motion for anything or anyone. Even the Lord of Time couldn't stop it completely, but send out the sense that it was at rest. After all, isn't time one of the biggest illusions in life?<p>

If this is correct then the saying that time heals all wounds is wrong, so very erroneous that the mere thought is laughable, sure; it may seemingly numb the pain and ebb away at guilt, but wounds can never be healed by a mere illusion.

'_Catch hold of time, Octavian, see how long it takes for you to work out how useless and futile your actions are. Go ahead and try to grasp it in your hands,'_

It is like trying to seize trickling water before it touches the ground, it's impossible to keep every drop away from the surface below. It's something that will go on forever and is immortal, but has a sadistic pleasure in destroying things with its merciless hands; it also has an exasperating habit of never being long enough. Another year, week, day, hour even second could change the very fabric of another's life, but it's our choice whether we decide if this is a good thing or a bad.

Any time he could have with his parents would make all the difference, his real loving parents- not the monsters they had become. Just another second of hearing his father's kind voice or spying that radiant smile on his mother's lips.

But of course he didn't tell her this, he told nobody. He may seem like a wuss, a baby even, but those who say that have never felt the raw and senseless pain it feels to lose a parent or sibling once so close in hand. To know that there could have been one last chance to hear an 'I love you' or feel the warmth of an embrace that would never happen again. Another thing about time is that it enjoys toying with emotions.

It messed with his head and made his insides squeal; skinny fingers would run through oily hair and even wrench fine straw coloured locks out of his swimming head. His insides would run cold and for a moment he would be caught up again in the past, the painstakingly cold past that he yearned to go to. The one that only existed in his deepest dreams.

"Octavian?'

'_Yeah, Octavian, why don't you open your mouth and stop wallowing in self-pity, you worthless swine!_' How did these voices know just when and how to hit him hard?

'_Keep digging your grave deeper, you're halfway there, and by the time you're finished they'll be flowers on your shrine and one sickened Praetor.'_

"You're going to die."  
>"Is there something you are trying to suggest, Augur?" her voice came out weary and suspicious as her form stiffened, almost ready to pounce on any incoming danger.<p>

"It may today, or tomorrow, even when you're old and haggard- one day you will die."

"...Well...yes...I suppose you are correct Octavian, in_ time_,"_ there was that word again, 'time',_ "I will undeniably meet my end."

"And it does not bother you?"

A petite hand slid across the small table between the two, the table that appeared to be as wide as the ocean in Octavian's eyes, a huge barrier separating him from _the girl_. The questioning male couldn't help but let a small upturn of his lips occur as her hand slipped into his much larger and clumsier one.

'_They fit together so perfectly.'_

'_Look at how _sorry _she feels for you, to her now you are a useless excuse for a person, you're just an '_it'_ to her.'_

"No, it does not. I have grown to accept the concept and I suggest you do the same, so you can be at peace."

"You make it sound like I am about to die," it came out hoarser than the words should have, but death was something Octavian was very familiar with.

"Tomorrow is always a part of the unknown, each second we live and breathe is a second that something life changing could occur in. I am saying you need not worry about the amount of time we have left but that fleeting mark that you will be remembered by. Life always goes on."

"...That's...very...you've given me a lot to think about, Reyna."

She did not mention how they were Roman demigods and their deaths should not leave then in fear, in which the eighteen year old was extremely grateful about.

"So, back to your parents..." her voice was solemn but her hand have his a gentle squeeze as her eyes contained passion and thoughtfulness he never knew she could posses.

'_If you weren't such a snivelling mess who everyone loathes, it might actually look like she cares about you. Too bad she's faking it, because you known every person in the entire world wishes you were dead.'_

"When did it start?"

'_Ha, it sounds like she's really laying it on thick, doesn't she? It's almost believable...'_

"I know, only if every single being in the universe doesn't despise me."

"Huh?'

"Oh...,' did he really just say that out loud? 'I was just saying that I'm not too sure when it began, but there is this dream I keep having about it.'

Her vibrant orbs held a large note of suspicion, but thankfully she let it slide. For now at least.

"Please do go on, dreams have power."

**Flashback **

_It all started with a single boot print. It was directly in front of the fridge but was pointed towards the living area. It was not a brand of boot that anyone in the house owned, or size for that matter._

"_Honey, did you track mud again?' The woman called out into the almost empty house, slowly placing her handbag on the grey bench beside the fridge. _

_Without receiving a reply the lady shook her head, making her blond hair flutter around her face for a mere moment. She gently squatted down to get a better look at the marking on her previously polished flooring before letting out a puzzled look._

_Horror soon spread across her face in an almost comical way as she raised her hand to her mouth and let out a cliché gasp. Her husband did not own boots this size, and if he did why was there only a single marking, who could jump that far from the backdoor. _

"_Miles, please tell me you have Octavian?'_

_Disregarding everything surrounding her in the cream painted room, including the now bubbling concoction on the stove Viola skidded towards her golden leather bag. Tearing it open she swiftly emptied the content on to the bench, digging through the tissues and pushing aside the mints she finally found her sword hidden underneath her sunglasses and the instruction manual for the microwave bought the day before. It was a good thing nobody ever looked twice at her carrying such a large bag now that she was a mother._

_Expertly grasping her sword brought back memories of battles and rigorous training exercises but with a hasty shake of the head she brought her mind back to the problem at hand._

_It was the cry of a toddler that stopped the figure in jeans and purple coat from continuing on her inspection of the small living room beside the kitchen._

"_Octavian!' It was Miles, he was here and everything was going to be okay._

_The sense of relief was short lived, as Viola made her way to the staircase that held the bundle of steps that was between her husband, child and herself a shrill cry made a cold sweat break out on her tanned forehead._

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><p><em>The broad shouldered figure stood to the side, only after the final piece of his game entered the room did he move. Amused, he watched as the woman- undeniably young but suitable for his purpose dived into the room and scurried over to her bleeding love. Mortals were so easily controlled by the ones they loved, they base their whole life around a select few and are destroyed when something happens to one of them. This includes being run through with a sword ten times. Now it's time to become known to the precious Viola.<em>

"_Shhhh, you don't want to upset your child any more now do you?" his voice was callous and hard, perfect._

"_I hate you mortals and you're obsessive whining. Oh I'm dying, it hurts! Pathetic, you want everything done your way, such a selfish group!" It was an easy line to spit as he unceremoniously dropped the toddler onto the chair behind him._

"_Why are you doing this, what did we ever do to you?' The woman cried out, trying to sound defiant but being unsuccessful. She couldn't deny the way her voice cracked as she held her partners head in her lap, trying to stop the blood that was seemingly flowing from everywhere. Her hands crimson as she continued trying futilely to stem the bleeding of her moaning partner._

"_Shut him up would you?" he bellowed out as he watched the revulsion flash upon the young ladies face, "Fine, be that way. You are just giving me more reasons to kill you as well."_

_An already blood splattered blade passed through the man's stomach and retracted quickly, dribbling with blood. A scream escaped from the woman's plump lips as she began spluttering over her now dead and_ silent _husband._

"_My, aren't you out of practice, pity you let your foolish emotions cloud your judgment," the form in black sung, the smile could be heard on his voice as he bent down and pulled his prize to her feet._

"_...Miles...Octavian...MILES!" were the only coherent things she mumbled through her already ceasing tears._

"_What, did you think you could just walk away and pretend you never lived the life you did? You are a demigod; life never works out like that for you." The owner of the voice began to shake her violently until they decided to throw her in the direction of the green plush chair her baby was on._

_The toddler obviously did not like all of the noise or the blood that now covered him from his mothers bloodied coat and fingers, even her face was covered with specks of the gooey red liquid._

"_We can do it together you know, just you me and the baby- we'll be a family- and when he reaches a nice age he can become a trained soldier at Camp Jupiter," an arm now wrapped around the short woman clutching her squealing to her chest, "and soon, you'll learn to love me like you loved him- and it will be like Miles never existed. Not like you have a choice in the matter, when you wake up in the morning this will be like a dream and you will be with me. I'll even let you keep the baby as a reminder."_

"_How DARE you!' she screamed only to have her head lurch backwards by her short blond hair being yanked backwards with such brute force that she let out a small squeak._

_A laugh echoed around the room, elated by the sadistic pleasure he was receiving from around the room, "have it your way, princess."_

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><p><em>The bath that she washed her son contained water that soon turned from clear into a bloody red, and as the boy played with his feet in the water did she let out a shaky sigh filled with grief. Her son didn't even understand that his father was dead, how could she tell him when he asked her when he was older? How could she even look at him anymore, his image was replaced in her mind of her husband, they were too similar.<em>

"_Mummy?"_

"_Yes baby, mummy's here." But even to her her voice sounded dead, "Mummy will be back in a second after she gets you a towel okay?"_

_She was replied with a splash of water._

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><p><em>Octavian was in her arms that night in bed, there was no way he was going back into his old room- where a certain someone lay dead. <em>

"_Da man goes mwa, mummy!"_

"_What do you mean sweetie?" a sudden note of urgency entered her voice._

"_mwa!" her son then kissed her on her hand, the closest thing to his lips, "mwa!'_

_Looking around the room suddenly with her sweeping gaze, she stops once she is satisfied that the two are alone but not before making sure her golden dagger is tucked safely away under her pillow._

_She awakes to see the messy black hair of her husband, smiling she leans forward and kisses the back of his head before standing up to go see Octavian._

"_Viola?" a husky voice calls out; there was something about the voice that didn't sound right. The woman in question shook her head, for some strange reason she thought her husband had dark brown bangs and a deep voice. Odd._

"_It's okay, I'm just checking on Octavian!"_

_In her usual attire of thick grey socks and blue nightie the petite young woman glided into the baby's room that smelt oddly enough of the vanilla cleaner that was under the sink in the small kitchen. But it was the face of the baby that struck a pang of horror and disgust through her, it looked like the face of the man in her dream that night- the one with brown bangs._

_A sudden rush of everything came back to the woman as she stared down at her sleeping child and began to hyperventilate. Miles, that was her real husband, not the man who was sleeping beside her. No! What was she thinking, of course her memories were as plain as day of her black haired husband. _

_Their wedding in that church- no her wedding was in a boat with Miles. _

_And let's not forget their honeymoon in Rome- waits a minute, it was her and Myles visiting Australia so they could go scooper-diving off the Great Barrier Reef. Rome was something they already knew too well after being at camp where everything was based off the ancient version. She even has a scar on her leg from when she cut herself on a piece of coral. The Scar!_

_Viola quickly tugged her sock down to see nothing, no mark at all. After looking around her leg for a moment she was left without a scar, any scars at all- all of her battle scars from camp were gone. It was this child, he was a demon or something, filling her head with hallucinations and making her question her relationship with her husband. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the face of her supposed child at fear of it using its evil powers on her again._

"_Waka now."_

_Even its voice was disgusting, making her head spin with snippets of conversations she had had with whoever this Miles was, even if he was a real person at all._

"_You stupid little urchin, can't you see that I don't want to talk to you!' at first her words stung in the air like a whip, this was the child that she loved and cared for. She even left camp to start a new life for her baby, if there even was a camp. The pain flooding around her skull until the ache gushed out and began pulsing through her veins like a fast tempo of the beat of a drum. Her mind was reeling all because of the fair-haired toddler staring up at her with innocent eyes. _

_A hand was placed on her shoulder; she flung her head around to let her wild eyes fall upon her 'spouse.' With a slight nod from the man beside her she was too distracted to notice her heart slowly grow colder and her eyes darken, her light smile replaced by a smirk. A tiny chunk of her hefty soul slowly began to flitter into the being still resting a hand on her shoulder. Having found a new soul to feed off of and a the energy from the hate that was blinding his new victims sight, the monster slowly stared down at the toddler before him and allowed his eyes to turn red, just to sap the fear and pain away from behind those wide eyes. It was so easy to pray upon mortals, but to have someone of godly descent and their child meant that this monster would be staying around for a long time, or at least until he had sapped these two life forms of their insides until they were nothing but hollow._

'_You'd think by now she'd know what a monster was like, good thing one doesn't like trusting her instincts- it will get her far, unlike her husband who had to just keep asking infuriating questions making him spill his blood like that. What a waste of a perfectly good soul. But it's the boy that is the problem, he should never have kept him alive- it would have been easier that way But at least when he is at a nice age he can donate his soul to me too, there goes the chances of him ever going to that camp.'_

**End of Flashback **

"Maybe that's my minds way of explaining why all my happy memories of my parents involve a brunette instead of..."

"No Octavian, that is a very plausible scenario, uncommon yes; but it can happen, it also explains why your father - or the black haired man suddenly disappeared. I've heard stories that once the monster, like the one you described, finishes with their victim they vanish. The one the sapped from usually dies not to long after; you were lucky to leave when you did."

"So you're saying that my father has been dead for a long time and I practically grew up with a monster, am I correct?' He was surprised to say the least to see the girl before him break composer and let out a jaw dropping smile, which is the equivalent of someone laughing their heads off.

"You are very blunt about it but yes," the amusement could be caught in her tone as she gave her head a small shake and returned her mouth to a thin line.

With a quavering breath, after sending a calculating look into thin air, Reyna stood and strode across to the brass doorhandle. Only stopping with her hand centimetres away she suddenly spun around sending her braid swishing behind her until it came to a stop on her shoulder. With a few fingers running through an unruly blond mane Octavian stood unsteadily.

"Do not think that this is the end, we have a lot more to discuss and I expect to see you again soon; understood?"

It took all the insipid boy had to unfasten his suddenly locked muscles and give a single nod.

"I cannot lie; I am beginning to see you in a different light Octavian, you are not as much a disgusting weasel as I thought you to be," with that she took a step forward as the eighteen year old caught his breath, awkwardly she opened her arms and clumsily wrapped them around the taller males slim frame for a brief moment.

"Try not to discuss these meetings with anyone, try to keep them as our little secret, now be off; I expect Lupa to be waiting for you shortly."

Stunned into silence, almost robotically did he exit the room, trying to work out if it was his imagination or if he really just did see the girl who stole his heart and took over his mind blush as he existed the room. Was the past 'x' amount of hours just a dream? Did he really feel those slender, ivory arms finally wrap themselves around his body after receiving one of the closest things he's had to a compliment in a long time?

Maybe things truly do start to get better once you lose everything.

* * *

><p><strong>So, there's the chapter!<strong>

**They're getting together slowly and I already have an idea on how it ends (I have the start done, the middle as a question mark and the end finished- so pretty much the same way I read most books.)**

**I kind of rambled at the top for a while and I guess the thing with his parents may seem a bit farfetched but who cares! It also goes on for the majoritory of the chapter but I think I needed to get it out in one go (for my sake) and each part of it kind of needed to be there. Oh and his parents names were picked out because:**

**Miles: Soldier in Latin**

**Viola: Violet colour or violet flower in Latin (okay maybe I just thought the name sounded okay after searching for a while...)**

**Okay well thanks for reading and you'll get a new chapter late tomorrow (night time is when I get my inspiration...or at least it was night time when it was written!) :) :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I own nothing, nor will I ever.**

**I know you're probably all tired of hearing me say sorry but I really am. I'm not going to give you an excuse because the likeli****hood of you guys actually caring on the reason why I haven't updated is most likely very low. But anyway...Thank you to all the reviews and story alerts etc. I recieved, it was amazing and just...thank you!**

**So read on...**

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><p>Her blood was practically oozing out, the crimson liquid seeping through his fingers as small beads trickled out of the corner of her parted lips. It wasn't this that concerned him, but the need- the <em>hunger<em>- it gave him as he desperately tried to claw deeper inside her with his sharp talon like nails. Trying to claw their way in, feeling her heart beat under his fingers made his frenzy grow rapidly, he made no attempt to stem the bleeding but to increase the amount of blood. Moaning; she tried to raise her clammy hand but her life force was deteriorating before his tinted eyes, a cruel smile wrapping around his sneering teeth as he batted it away. If she could only see the monster she had turned him into, screaming in the dark he found there was no way to contain the demon bubbling through as he cupped his hands and brought the blood to his lips. How he struggled to hold it all in but Reyna seemed to send it running free, he was like a man possessed as he licked his fingers dry, well at least there was no holding back as he poised himself again to attack- no one could help him now. A shadow had fallen upon him, or had it always been there, but the fabric of her flesh was too entrancing to notice – he should have been careful and locked himself away from all human contact at night or at least rubbed some mint under his nose to block out their smell like he usually did. But Reyna had left him stuck in a trance and he had forgotten about his curse, the one that only appeared at night since his 'father' had shared blood with him- but he could not ignore the gasping as he pulled back from his prey.

"Somebody help!," the annoying blond screeched from behind him as he turned away from the daughter of Apollo inches away from life, " A monster, it got Krystal."

A sword was produced but it looked so foreign in her hands he almost laughed. Both girls had scoffed and snickered at him as he was attacked at camp so it gave him no remorse as he reached forward and snapped the blond's neck. He could have gotten away with leaving her, his face was still hidden but he was slightly unhinged, having not attacked a camper in so long.

"Well, Krystal," he purred turning back to his first victim, knowing he had to quicken his pace before the guards arrived, "guess we're going to have to speed this up."

"Octavian?" she mumbled, obviously confused as all were when he revealed his identity.

"Shhhh," he urged, right before he crushed her chest in.

He stood swiftly at the sound of footsteps, pricking his ears up he spared one final look to Krystal and the blond girl he'll most likely learn the name of tomorrow. Running his now wet again hands along his red teeth he wiped his mouth. His final thought being if only the camps praetor could see him now, or any of those who tormented him could – but then he would have to kill them.

* * *

><p>"Some fantasies about becoming famous, or even passing their next test – yet you seem to dream about the murder and mutilation of your fellow campers."<p>

"What are you doing here?" he all but screeched as he turned away from the woollen bear he had just disfigured with his twitching fingers. Slowly wiping the small piece of spittle that was sliding from the corner of his ajar lips.

"Spit that fluff out before you choke, Augur, and is that anyway to speak to your superior?"the voice chided before a figure stepped out from behind a small tree, on the edge of his little clearing. The eighteen-year-old complied reluctantly and spluttered until the fluff he had inadvertently engorged in his fantasy spurted out of his lips, joined with a cough.

"Aren't you a little old to be playing around with teddy's, boy?"

At first he thought it could have been a camper – then Lupa when there was no further ridicule, but the tone definitely contained a masculine note, and an unfamiliar one at that.

"Who are you?"

The form slowly slid forward until a formal looking man who could double as a surfer if he didn't have such a serious air around him, a toga glistening and his entire being practically radiating light. A staggering beam was virtually drawn onto his face before he took another step forward, hand outstretched as if beckoning for Octavian to take it.

"I go by many names, but it is all on a need-to-know basis."

The younger blond scrunched his eyebrows together as he looked up at the young man before him, still seated on the ground, he found his way to his feet to look at the man from a more appropriate height. His pallid finger sliding back to where his blade lay, a good natured grin on his face to distract his company from his moving hand – Octavian was ready to run the other through with the knife if it came down to it in a heartbeat.

"Please drop your knife, Octavian, I just want to talk," his drawl seemed friendly enough, but the information his words held made Octavian even less ready to leave his knife than he was a second before.

With a sudden surge, Octavian dived forward, knife bared as he swiped at the gentleman who as if anticipating his move, caught the boy's skinny wrist between two tanned fingers and twisted until a small dagger clattered to the ground below.

"I would have thought Lupa would have trained you better than to attack like that, at your _descendant_ no less," his free hand raised to his lips as propped his glasses up and shared a secret look with Octavian before dropping his wrist.

Descendant was the only word that was needed to be heard before Lord Apollo had a blubbering eighteen-year-old on the ground, bowing and begging for a pardon and forgiveness. Looking slightly dishevelled but pleased none the less, the god soon yanked Octavian to his feet, waiting while the younger man began muttering something about being touched by a god.

"Please, you are making this very hard!"

"I am so sorry Lor..."a finger in the air was all that needed to be done to stop the sentence.

"I shouldn't be here, the whole place is under lock down as you undoubtedly know. I don't have much time, only a few moments has been spared for this – if anyone found out, even heard my name...There are eyes and ears everywhere Octavian, be careful what you say."

"Why are you here, it is such an honour, but why?"

"I needed to tell you, everyone, that even though the chosen seven may be in Greece, I see an attack being formed here. Countless casualties and even more sinister plots than thought could occur; the oncoming war is everywhere. More so than planned, the enemy has already spread out and grown in greater numbers than anticipated, time is of the essence; they are coming for blood and to end this once and for all, at the heart line of where the troops lay.'

Thunder suddenly shattered through the sky like a gun shot.

"It was near impossible to get out undetected, only using a choice amount of connections bought me a distraction big enough to come here, they are searching for me," the older man stated aloud, "I just had to warn you, in person."

"What occurred with the Greek Oracle?" Octavian queried as he sent a glance to the skies once more, taking in darkening clouds and foreboding thunderclaps.

"She does not know; I only had time for one. I was going to send a sign but I just had to see you," a large hand was placed on his shoulder, a grim look on the owners face as if he were already saying goodbye.

"I'm sorry, Octavian, I should have intervened earlier. This all could have been stopped," with a glimpse at the heavens Apollo vanished in a beam of light. Only a flash of an almost desperate smile and he was gone, leaving behind an almost black forest clearing, the light he was producing leaving with him. The remaining blond, ruffling his hair before bending down to pick up two bears that he seemed to have been mesmerised with eons ago.

* * *

><p>Trudging slowly into the camp grounds the boy could tell something was wrong by the deathly silence and the lack of the usual clanging of swords. Sliding his fingers once more through his hair as the nervous habit he seemed to have developed over the past few days, Octavian noticed the slightest chill in the air. But although it was only a small coolness at first, as he moved through the grounds the air seemed to become colder so soon it felt as if his bones were iced and the blood pumping through his veins was near frozen.<p>

The saying that you could cut through the air with a knife felt right as he rolled the words silently off his tongue, only catching the glimpses of a few of the younger campers who as soon he came into view scurried off.

"Octavian," the voice was clear and seemingly friendly, "I was told to come and find you, Lupa wants to talk to you now."

"Well, Jackson, while you're here you can inform me over the sudden absence of most of the campers."

Blue eyes scrutinized the figure who had sidled into the empty space beside the Auger, but he could not lock onto the younger boys eyes no matter how hard he tried. They just seemed to be avoiding any contact with the blond as he seemed to let his gaze fall anywhere but the roman beside him.

"Nothing you need to worry about at the moment," a tanned hand waved dismissively before gravitating towards the back of the owner's neck. Rubbing his neck in a nervous fashion Percy cleared his throat as the two began walking again.

Breaking the silence that the males seemed to have succumbed into to suit the already noiseless environment, the son of Poseidon opened and fastened his mouth as if contemplating what to say before letting out a strangled sigh.

"I don't really know where to start, Octavian, I guess I always kind of hated you," _wow he's off to such a great start isn't he, already admitting to hating you, _"but that's because I always thought you were a heartless creep who had the camp on his every word and was kind of a narcissistic jerk."

"Big words."

"Yeah, Annabeth's been rubbing off on me – she's my girlfriend"

"I know who she is."

"Oh...well anyway, I just wanted to say that I think we got off on the wrong foot and maybe you're I just got you more misunderstood than anything," his voice came out with such a fervent passion that it almost brought bile to Octavian's throat. He never really felt a liking to the younger boy, at first because he had posed a threat to his relationship with Reyna, but now just out of pure spite.

"I just wanted to say I never realised how bad things ever got, and that...I don't know...I care, I guess in a weird way."

The pitying look that the roman suddenly received after catching hold of the tanned boys vibrant eyes, pity was not something Octavian needed nor appreciated receiving.

"And this is in aid of what exactly?" He already knew the answer, he could draw it out of the expression worn on the others face.

"Lupa told us some things about what the other campers did, about the reason you were in the infirmary before. I never could have guessed, man."

"Well don't."

The look of blatant confusion sat with ease across Percy's face as if it's presence on his face was common, "I don't understand."

"I don't sympathy from anyone, especially you Jackson,' it was funny how all the dormant feeling that resided deep inside his gut chose now to bubble to the surface and spill over, leaving his voice seething and face full of malice.

Opening his mouth like a startled fish, the Greek looked on staggered. Hands rising into a half surrender.

"Just because you hear some things and feel sorry doesn't mean you should act on your emotions, I'm perfectly fine thank you," his tone clipped and his eyes narrowed as he swung around, "I don't like you, and whatever act your trying to prove for who knows what isn't going to work. Whatever regret you have can stay being regretted, admit that you wouldn't have cared if you didn't know that I, like most, have faced some hardship in life."

"Octavian?"

"I can find my way to Lupa by myself, your assistance is no longer required. Just go."

"But..."

"JUST GO!" his voice rumbled around, echoing until it was finally enveloped by the still silent atmosphere, "don't you know when to leave something alone, I'm sick of having this happen. Being so easily judged and treated accordingly until something happens and they want to stem the regret gnawing away at their insides so they come and try the whole, 'I didn't know' card. As far as I'm concerned, you can keep stewing in that guilt until you die, because I'm not interested in making anyone feel better."

With that he continued walking, the crunching of a second pair of boots stopping after a moment before all that's left to Octavian is his own thoughts and the howling silence.

'_I wonder what Lupa wants with you?' _gnashing his teeth together he let out an almost noiseless groan as he was left to his head once more. But at least it was the only constant thing that came back.

'_Maybe she wants to rid her camp of filth before the battle, cast you out to the shadows where you belong. Maybe a monster will take pity on you and end your life, but unlikely – they'd never get blood on their hands to get rid of the likes of you.'_

'_Dirty little hero, that's what you wanted right, to be the hero? Oh well,' _false sympathy and a smug undertone, the usual, '_nobody as weedy and downright pathetic as you could even compare to one of the greats. Did mummy's bed time stories make you feel all big and strong. Did they give you hope?'_

'_Shut up!'_

'_Oh well, boy, looks like someone has something to say, the silent voice stepping forward yet again to contradict me.'_

'_I'm sick of listening to you; can't you ever just learn to leave me alone?'_

'_Here's the thing, I would if I could - but I'm stuck inside a foul little disgrace, want to know why?-I'm you.'_

'_No, you're not. You are nothing like me.'_

'_Yes I am, a side of you not so pitifully loaded down with false self worth that actually has the real facts and came to terms with the truth. Does that bother you?'_

"Does what bother me?'

"I didn't say anything,' puzzled, the sandy locked boy turned slightly until he straightened up and looked around the area.

Another step and he would have walked into a clearing lined with the majority of the camp, some running in large circles with their swords held above their heads to make a triangular like shape. Sweat was dribbling over their faces, oozing out of their pours and cascading down their slouched backs. Weary expressions as others were simply running laps or commando crawling along the ground.

"Reyna, what is this?' it may have seemed like the usual training session, but each face looked so painstakingly tired and defeated that he could tell that something had happened. Never such a large amount trained together of such varied ages, especially those who looked so obviously familiar.

"Lupa's orders, a punishment for all who affected the well being of one the camps best assets,' the blank look on his face must have been a sign as she opened it once more, "you, Octavian. You are practically irreplaceable and at top priority to keep safe."

"How did she know who it was?"

"I did my research and did a bit of digging, it wasn't too hard to find the ringleaders, then to get them to sing like canaries." The smirk on her face was unmistakeable as she monitored their movements, occasionally barking out an order or threat to those slowing.

"She is waiting for you, just behind those buildings," absentmindedly a creamy hand indicated where he was supposed to march. Yet he felt as he slowly left that a piece of his heart, once filled with the elation of being close to _her_ had a heel dig deeper into it with each step.

"Octavian," her plump lips were pursed as if she was still considering if it were the right thing to do, her flawless hand indicating for him to return as her perfectly crafted face tilted to the side ever so slightly.

She gently raised her hand and cupped his shoulder before giving it an almost experimental squeeze, never releasing him from her entrancing gaze that seemed to delve passed his blue orbs. Eyes still fixed with his she cautiously let go, as if careful not to break anything; with an unsettled look she pushed him back suddenly and turned away.

A sudden impatient yap kept him from staying and exploring the almost uncharted territory that very few had ever had the pleasure to enter.

Almost mechanically he rolled on his heels and forced his legs to carry him away and forward, leaving the almost safety net that Reyna kept him in as he felt eye after eye set into his back and burn holes through his toga. Behind the buildings he quickly scurried until he saw the hazy silver gaze that zoned in on his every move.

With a gentle howl she paced forward, her reddish brown fur dancing in the faint light she had stepped into. With her large paw she swiped sideways until she had successfully knocked the male opposite her to the ground where he sat startled.

"Octavian," the she-wolf barked almost soothingly into his ringing ear.

With her teeth bared down until her moist tongue protruded from between a set of jagged obstacles, she bent lower and licked his grimy face with it, "you are filthy, boy."

"You wished to speak to me Lady Lupa?"

"Yes I have been trying to talk to you for weeks, I understand that today you had an unexpected visitor?"

"How?" his light brows scrunching together in perplexity as he allowed the mighty beast continue to wipe his face clean of filth.

"I know everything that occurs within this camp grounds, don't be fooled by illusion in place that you are alone – you are never alone here. I see everything."

'_If she sees everything then why didn't she act upon the camp did?'_

'_maybe she was glad that you were finally put in the place where you belong by the others.'_

"Octavian I took you under my wing, per say," a yowl revealed as she ceased on polishing his insipid face, "I allowed you to grow here and train like the rest of your fellow Romans. I gave you the position of Augur when you showed promise, did I not?"

"Yes you did, and for which I am thankful for each day."

"Good, and you would fight for Rome- correct," her yowl converting into a snarl as auburn fur began swishing before the eighteen-year-olds face.

"Of course, anything for Rome," the answers having been drilled into him for as long as he can remember being a part of Camp Jupiter. The words lulling off his tongue with ease, yet even if he stuck in his monotone voice there was a trace of suspicion riddled within his cursive tongue.

"Then you are prepared to die for this."

Those words broke out a cold sweat across his brow, a glistening sheen soon covering his sickly pale features within a mere second.

"If...if...that is what it takes then I will," unsure he answered after a long pause, the low growl that issued throughout Lupa's chest at his show of emotions didn't seem to reach him as far as it would have if they were at a different time.

"You are going to die."

"I believe I always knew that."

"It's the only way, your blood must be spilt to end this war and stop the suffering of every single being in the world, human and demigod alike," her rumbling voice booming outwards through the surrounding area.

"Is there a particular reason it will be me?" a lump sliding down his already constricting throat as he tried to conceal his already moistening eyes. He was stronger than this, tougher than to cry at such a small thing. Think positive, at least Reyna will be safe.

"You were born for this, to die. I wanted you to be fully conscious when I told you, no healing medication or distractions, just the facts. Now go and bring honour to your home," a swift yap let out as he automatically turned after bowing low.

Unblinking he turned and began to slowly trek away.

"How long? I don't mean to be too forward...but," _how you be too forward when you are discussing your death, he did not know. _

"A week, Octavian. It was a... privilege."

* * *

><p>"Hey look everyone, here comes our mighty Augur," a cocky son of Mars cried out as a punch landed solidly into his already trembling stomach.<p>

"I guess I might as well bow for someone so high," he added as he slammed his opened hand into his shoulder, effectively knocking Octavian to the ground as he let out a callous laugh and mock bow.

Something moist splattered against chest as the young man realised that he had been spat upon. The small group smirking as the ringleader did another mock bow, this time directed at his small audience as he turned away.

'_You're going to let him do that, you cowering lowlife!'_

'_Huh?'_

'_I'm trying to help you, you snivelling pile of bile, now stand up and hit him back. This is Rome not a school playground, you are going to die soon anyway – it doesn't make any difference.'_

"Did you hear that boys and girls, he got hit so hard he's talking to himself!" another chuckled, sending off another round of infectious laughter.

Slowly wiping the splatter on his now muddy toga, the desendant of Apollo stood, "thank you for your _considerate_ show of respect."

The sniggering stopped almost instantaneously, the scrawny honey haired boy never talked back. Never in that tone at least.

With a small smirk, a breath of air slowly escaped his lungs as he efficiently charged forward into the mass that was the black haired male who punched him. Sliding on top of him with ease, Octavian showed his skill as he held down the boy as if he were as light as a feather.

The first punch was for the show, the second was to prove a point that he was not to be messed with, the third and fourth for revenge and by the time for the twelfth he was already lost in the mode of raising his fist and slamming into flesh. Screams were now being issued out of onlookers lips as the dark haired boy pinned to the ground choked out yet another mixture of spittle and blood. A broken nose and crushed chest, Octavian persisted in laying blow after blow into the now whimpering boy.

"This isn't right," a male cried out alarmed as finally realised that there was no slowing in the Augurs steady strikes. The look on his face at last being recognised as one for blood-lust, a crazed glint to his already raging eyes.

"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight," was being chanted by the majority of the others in the area who had heard the commotion and came to see what all the fuss was about.

"Stop you're going to kill him!" a girl shrieked.

'_They never considered this when they attacked him, what made this any less than what he had been through, what they all _deserved.'

"ENOUGH!" a final screech brought all being called out to a halt, a fist halting before it made yet more contact with already battered flesh.

Annabeth strode into the middle of the circle that had seemingly formed around the group, her cries attracting to attention of Percy Jackson and Reyna.

"I haven' t been here all that long, but I'm sure that another beating the life out of a younger boy is not what should be happening here," her voice steadied as a tanned hand grabbed the shaking girl's shoulder and pulled her protectively behind his hulking mass.

"Octavian, off him now. What are you all doing here, leave now before I all have you running laps for being a witness of a camper being bashed and doing nothing but squeal like three year olds!"

Of course Reyna had forced her way into the group with ease, a path practically made for her as she passed through the throng surrounding who were now busy skulking off, muttering about their disappointment in their fight being stopped.

"Off, now!' she stabbed her finger at Octavian with a pointed look on her face before he clambered of his victim, the adrenaline once spreading through him like wildfire being extinguished by the glare in her eyes.

"Someone get him to the infirmary," Percy seemed to have found his voice after checking to see if his girlfriend was unharmed.

"I'll deal with this," Reyna snapped as her hand seized Octavian's arm and yanked him to his feet before dragging him off with enough force to pull a chariot.

Turning a bend she quickly released his arm, but instead of yelling her face formed a beautiful grin, "that was amazing, it was about time you stood up and hit back. I was starting to think you weren't a Roman."

"You don't mind?" this was too good to be true.

"Marcus needed to be put in his place for a long time now, it doesn't matter. Lupa doesn't need to know."

'_Remember you're dying, boy...'_

"You are amazing," he returned her smile before gripping her should with his hand and pulling her closer to the edge of the pathway. The befuddled look on her face making her look even more stunning as she tightened her lips again slightly before narrowing her eyebrows as she tried to analyse his words to discover their meaning.

'_In about a week.'_

So he did what he had been dying to do for what seemed to be eternity. He smashed his lips against her velveteen soft mouth, taking only a moment to consider if it were going to ruin the illusion he had built up of this moment over the years. He choose to go off his impulses which lead to his hand finding the way to the back of her neck and pressing her faultless being closer to his.

'_She's kissing back.'_

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter included Octavian and Reyna finally kissing, I was thinking of some way for it to happen but in the end I was like "I've waited to long, I'm just going to make them kiss."<strong>

**This showed more of a softer side to Lupa, because she has to have grown some amount of attachment to the campers- especially some who she works closely with like Octavian- so I made them slightly closer. They also finally talked :) :)**

**And Octavian fantasised about killing some of the campers! (I just had to add that in.)**

**Apollo also appeared and most likely didn't reach the espectations of being the happy chilled kind of guy he was in Percy Jackson, but that's only because I discovered once gods go into their Roman aspect they usually get a whole lot tougher. It also said that Apollo was stricter and more formal so I made his just that. So don't seriously hate him...**

**Well anyway, thank you all for reading and i'll see you for the next chapter soon :) :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own HoO or PJO**

* * *

><p>He knew they were both there, placed so impossibly close to one another that from a distance they may form one <em>completed<em> figure. But he wasn't with her in the moment when they were finally together. Like they were on separate worlds, standing isolated under different skies- he was lost in his past, while she stood firmly in the future. The future of her, the future of camp, the future Octavian would not get to see.

It wasn't an illusion-her lips were still pressed perfectly against his- all the build up he had prepared for this moment was nothing compared to the pure unyielding ecstasy of her kissing him. It wasn't the taste of her lips, the way her body twisted until it settled almost effortlessly into his- leaving no gap, just like fire her touch made him burn (Although he was content in dwelling in the flames.) It was more of how she had returned his kiss with power and force, she wanted it- she wanted_ him. _

He was here with Reyna, her dark eyes held lazily open as her perfect hand traced circles on the bare flesh of his arm, absentmindedly making shapes that would forever scar his brain. He was at camp, he was _safe_.

What is safe? Is it possible to be in a situation completely at ease with no fear or concerns that anything could happen? That you could find a haven where nothing could touch you and there was this one place on Earth where you were free to do whatever you wanted without needing to worry about unwanted repercussions or an absurd feeling of unease.

"Hmmm?" an angelic voice queried, only then did he notice his words must have been thought aloud.

"Nothing, just thinking aloud," Octavian tried to loosen his tight lip from the hard line it displayed across his already harsh face, attempting to brush a grin. It was something he should try to master- controlling when his thought patterns were vocalised and when not. But with only a week left of life there was no need to focus on such a seemingly irrevocable process that the blond had become accustomed to over his eighteen years of life.

Suddenly ivory fingers were retracted and a firm hand pushed against the young man's chest. As if an imaginary timer had begun blaring in her ears, Reyna abruptly began to make the motions of leaving.

Octavian swore he heard her whisper something as her lips passed tauntingly close to his face once more, but then it was gone- she was gone. His unease was back as Reyna continued in the path of leaving him- rubbing her finger over her grinning lips before taking a large step backwards.

"Where are you going?" it was like being punched in the gut, a sudden wave of reality hit against his face and flowed inside his agape mouth down to his very core- making his heart ache. The look of almost pity that flickered across her firm gaze was shattering as she reorganised her once smiling lips into its usual impassive shape. Straightened her slightly dishevelled violet toga she lowered her head as if to block _his heartbreakingly _lost and innocent look that he was trying to hide from view, like she was trying to ignore a painful presence. After only sparing a second to rub her index finger gently over each of her golden medals, she turned on her heels and strode serenely off as if his words were unheard.

So he continued to stand, the ancestor of Apollo trying to hold together his already cracking exterior as the gentle rapping of Reyna's evenly spaced footsteps gradually disappeared. That was what he did, even when the wind began its cry into the late afternoon- as if disconcerted and waiting for an answering call that would never come to lead them back on track. When the night slid over the sun and darkness seemed to swallow the camp and supply Octavian with a murky cover he did nothing but silently welcome the change. It would be simple to move, to turn around with the grudging acceptance that nothing had ever happened, but his mind would never allow something like that to fall upon his shoulders. It was not his way to ever take the easy way out, to always leave early with the minimum amount of pain inflicted. Like his brain worked backwards and enjoyed imposing more pain to him instead of making sure he received the smallest amount of hurt in his too short life. He needed to wait and see if she would return, but deep down he had a growing feeling that she wouldn't be back.

...

"Is there a reason being a statue suddenly became one of your many talents?' no reply was heard, "I heard you're going to die in about a week, that must be harsh. A bit big to swallow, huh?'

"Jason?" The lump in his voice was undeniable; no matter how many excuses were used to cover the slip up he produced, there is no true way to hide when you're breaking inside.

"Yeah?" Caution was taken, but the undertone of eagerness was hard to miss, even in such a professional tone- it was easy to see that the son of Jupiter was ecstatic to get something out of the frozen man. Especially after his rather blunt outburst.

"How did you know? I was going to..." there was no need to complete the sentence, it hung in the air as if it had already been finished on some already polished plaque, all ready for the base of his shroud.

"Lupa warned Percy, Reyna and I, that you may be acting differently before she told you. Just so we may be more aware of some of your actions before they were taken as your way of coping with the inevitable."

It all made sense. The apology from Percy Jackson, the way nothing more was made of his attack on the boy and how _congratulatory_...a certain female was.

"It's okay, Reyna told me about the kiss. There's no need to worry about it if that's what you're worried about, she knew it was what you would have wanted before it all ended," even if his wording had changed, Jason Grace still had his way to gently pry into one's life and collect all the information and confirmation he needed in a single sentence.

"When?" Octavian's voice was airy, like it was coming from someone already in a distant place. A shuffle proved to make the tone force the golden boy of camp to feel nervous. The Octavian he knew wouldn't act like this, would he?

It was like he were actually blind, his sight had faded to a calming white background with the only colour a purple toga off in front of him. The only sound being the far away calling of his friend's voice, it seemed to be the only thing keeping him tied to Earth at that moment, Jason and _Reyna_.

"...I'm sorry, for everything," there was no answer, just four words. Four words for eighteen years of life, for years of companionship and help. No 'thank you' or 'I'll miss you' but when did the Auger ever deserve something so personal as that, and for now that apology will suffice.

With that it seemed like he was gone, leaving Octavian alone in his white wonderland, the only thing vaguely familiar was the lingering scent of the sweet toga once before him. But Jason was still there, looking around to make sure nobody could see the two standing together- and Octavian was without someone who turned him into a lovesick boy from any romance novel off a shelf.

_'Was I really that obvious?'_

_'It took you that long to realise, you practically drooled every time the stupid girl came into sight!'_

_'Don't you dare call Reyna stupid. _Ever_.' _

_'If it wasn't you I was talking to I'd be worried, you almost sounded threatening then, congratulations- that must be a big accomplishment for someone like you.'_

_'...I just realized something.'_

_'oh please, this has got to be good, go on- show me what pathetic little scrap of knowledge that got through your ugly mug and into your tiny brain.'_

_'You said that you were me, that means when you insult me, you're really insulting yourself too!'_

_'...'_

_'Check mate.'_

_'...at least I'm not so pitiful to have girls feel so sorry for me that they feel compelled to allow to be kissed and then being so repelled that they flee at the last minute.'_

_'...That crossed the line.'_

_'What did you just say?'_

_'I'm done.'_

_'With what? Are you going to go sulk and have a good cry like the big baby you really are.'_

_'I'm done talking to you. I'm so sick and tired of being told what to do, this time I'm not giving any options. This time I am stating that I am going to cease conversing with you, is there no place I can go? Even my mind is against me in my last moments! So you can go jump, I'm not spending my last week on Earth arguing with some half rate entity that is nothing more than an annoying voice in the back of my head!'_

_'You can't just...'_

_'No, I'm done. I'm not listening to you anymore.'_

_'...FINE!'_

And with that his white wonderland was back leaving the eighteen year old alone, and it felt incredibly and impossibly isolated and lonely. Being such a despised and loathed figure led to a life of seclusion and independence, but even most usually had at least one safe guard- one person or animal or _anything_ that was there and made that one detested figure feel like they weren't inferior or as hated as thought . His only friend was someone too afraid to even admit that they were anything above begrudged work colleague status. In fact Jason was probably the worst of them all; he was listened to and adored by all of the camp! If he told them to take turns jumping off a cliff to an untimely death then they'd all go racing towards the cliff edge to see who could fall first. Why didn't Jason even say anything about the situation Octavian was in inside the camp, what about the way he treated the older teen in public- no respect and usually a harsh and cold attitude. The camp looked at their Saving Grace for guidance, all they saw was how easy it was to get away with disregarding and belittling the Augur who once again had fallen into the familiar shadow of 'the hated' and 'the enemy.'

"Jason?"

"Yes, Octavian?"

Sudden sight returned and blue eyes were in his sight, "Either you're my friend or not, pick a side and stop playing on the fence!"

"What are..."

"No, shut-up Jason. For once in your life listen to someone other than yourself, you've got a lot of growing up to do and in fact I'm the one who is sorry for you. Too bad my blood has to be spilt to save the likes of you, even now you're more concerned about whom you're seen with than the fact that I'm going to die. Does it bother you that I've finally realised and worked out who you are? That I should have left you at the start when I had the chance? Oh and remember _Jason_, check my bottom draw for the flower arrangements later- I want my shroud to at least look presentable- if the camp is so kind to even give me one."

"Hey! I know you're upset but don't take your anger out on me,' he cried out indignantly after finding his footing- trying to move the blame back to the eighteen-year-old. "Come on, man, I listen heaps and I think I've grown up quite a lot- 'the likes of you'? if you're going to be pedantic then don't do it if all you're going to do is whine about it. Who am I then Octavian? Who. Am. I?"

Jason knew he was being tough and unreasonable; he came off sounding like anything but a friend. But when someone turns around and casually starts screaming at you after minutes of silence and bruises your ego, you'll understand how he felt. 'You've gotta be cruel to be kind, huh?'

"Look, mate," Jason tried again, "this is all a lot for you to take, huh? You're upset and tired and confused, everything suddenly isn't in your control anymore. You've just been told that you are going to die and everything you think is real keeps morphing and changing, but I want you to know that this friendship isn't one of them- I'm your friend, even if you're not mine anymore, I'll stand by you like I always have- brothers 'till the end."

Reasoning with an estranged friend is tricky, a guy who hates you is difficult, an all powerful Augur is hard, but reasoning with Octavian was a nightmare.

"You are no friend of mine."

"Really, the 'no friend' card, now? Come on what is this really about, is it Reyna? I know you like her and I'm completely okay with the fact that you kissed, no need to get worried- Piper's my girlfriend remember?"

"You treat it like you upgraded," Octavian huffed, running a finger through his mop of hair before continuing to glare at the younger boy.

Jason paused as he scratched the back of his head, like in cartoons when a character suddenly gets nervous or embarrassed. But his beaming face never dimmed as he seemed to stretch his lips even higher upwards until he resembled the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.

"Well, Reyna is fantastic- she's a great girl- but Piper, there's just something different about her. At first I was sad that there was no more Rey but then it's like Piper sits on this whole different level with me that we connect on. It was fun while it lasted with Reyna, but I need to think about my future- I mean do you ever see Rey ever settling down? I mean with Piper I'm number one, while with Rey it was like I was competing for her attention against the camp- besides I feel like with Pipes I don't need to worry about what I'm going to say, we can go on about anything but once it hits a point with Rey she _reprimands me_! Not an upgrade, just...you know..."

"No I honestly don't know, Jason. You may be right about Piper Mclean and Reyna being on different levels, but it's Reyna who's high up in the clouds- how you could not see how perfect she is shocks me. How selfless she is for giving up her life to keep the camp in check while you go around hooking up with the next pretty thing who has less baggage for you to deal with. At least she reprimands you when you step out of line unlike your 'perfect girl' who'll end up getting you beheaded by Lupa if you don't learn to watch that tongue of yours."

With that Octavian turned and began walking away, violently shaking as he remembered the last smirk on Jason's face, unless the ancestor of Apollo was looking into it too far it almost seemed as if Grace was sending him one final message:

_'But _I'm _the one who got the girl.'_

A sudden snowman seemed to spring to life as it charged out of the building.

"You see the snowman too, right?' it was Jason's whispering tone that made both boys crack up. Octavian even turning back around for a better look at the running figure.

It was just like them, all they needed was a distraction before they were all friendly again, well as friendly as Jason thought they were. Octavian remembered everything, and he never let go of something easily- but he was excellent at biding his time.

"I heard yelling, what's going on?' the snowman screamed as he...pulled his head off.

"Jackson? What in the gods names are you wearing?' Jason managed to spit out between laughs as Percy lowered his hood with a carrot in-between his teeth.

"Well,' Percy chimed as he paused to allow a mischievous smile to form almost instantaneously across his face as he seemed to recall something amusing. "You know the armoury? Well I was avoiding Reyna and Annabeth because they wanted to, and I quote 'have a word with me' so I instantly ran for it. Probably something to do with the 4 litre container of Cool-Aid I had just chugged with Dakota. So here I am running for my life as I start throwing everything I could get my hands on at them- I was so good they didn't even move, they just 'kinda yelled when I threw a chair and made a huge mess but I managed to throw so much stuff that they didn't even try to move. Reyna just had her hands on her hips and Annabeth was holding her head in her hands telling Reyna she was 'so sorry for this' and then went on saying how embarrassed she was. But just incase they were still coming I ran into the armoury finishing off the Cool-Aid and hide under a rack of swords. Then I lean back and find this secret door-which of course I'm going to open- I find all of these dress ups and props from some old stage production or something. I'm talking princess tiaras, clown suits and cardboard taxi's- so anyways I'm looking through all of this stuff including this photo album collection of plays- by the way Jason you make a wonderful flower. And so all of a sudden I stumble across this bad boy," Percy stops his long speech to indicate the large floor length white Eskimo coat with a hood that goes over his face, blatantly disregarding the beet red colour of Jason's face and the mutterings of 'I was four, okay!?' to continue on.

"And I'm like, woah, this is awesome and I put it on for disguise and it fits perfectly. So I'm doing up the buttons and then go outside again and it's raining so naturally I stick my hood up and instead of going inside I decided to wait it out and go stand under this tree. Everyone's coming and completely ignoring me, and then some little kid runs up and sticks this carrot in my mouth! I ask him why he did that and he runs away screaming. I'm walking through camp, hearing everyone's conversations- getting a few looks from everyone- and here yelling so here I am."

He looked triumphant as he took a bite out of his carrot, "I would have taken this out but I was kind of hungry so I kept it in my mouth gnawing on the end. "

"We asked what you were wearing, not your life story!' Jason looked extremely bemused as he processed all of the information he just received.

"And he explained it," Octavian then murmured quietly to Jason, "be thankful we haven't gone mad.'

"Yeah, he has."

"Who has?"

"No one, Percy, everything's fine here- in fact Octavian was just in the motions of leaving," Came the son of Jupiter's reply as he stared pointedly at Octavian, letting his tone drop when he mentioned the Augur.

"I can see when I'm not wanted," came an equally icy tone as the boy in question pivoted and left the two powerful demigods to their own business. One looking slightly confused as he munched on a carrot while the other began slowly backing away in the opposite direction.

...

Octavian had just rounded the corner, shaking his head slightly at the thought of someone actually letting the son Poseidon run the Greek camp. However they did seem incredibly laid back, maybe having a distracted and highly powerful leader was the way they thought they should go. Also one who could so easily over do himself and get drunk off of _Cool-Aid_. But all that stopped- all thoughts evaporated.

"Hey."

It was one word. From one girl. But she wasn't just one girl, but _the _girl. She seemed to effortlessly embody every desirable quality he had ever wanted. Just her gaze locked with his and suddenly any shred of power he once controlled crumbled, she was like her name- a Queen- while he was just another lowly peasant in her company. Automatically Octavian wiped any pictures he had saved of Reyna and took new ones, for every time he saw her, her beauty increased ten-fold. Anything he would this was beautiful became ugly and grotesque compared to such perfection in a heartbeat.

_'Somebody's got it bad, you're in L-O-V-E and you can't deny it! It's almost sickening how sweet and sentimental your mind becomes once _she _enters the picture.'_

_'Shut up, and go away!'_

_'Touchy; touchy. Fine, I'm out of this train wreck.'_

"What?'

"Sorry, not you! I have this nasty habit of talking to myself every so often."

"So you were telling yourself to shut up and go away?' confusion was evident, as already stated- Reyna loved knowing what was going on, but even Octavian couldn't explain his position.

"It's long and complicated,' he settled for, "I'll explain it to you one day."

But that one day would either be taken to his grave or in the next 7 days.

She absentmindedly twirled a stray strand of hair, biting down gently on her lip before opening her mouth once more, "I heard what Jason said."

"Don't listen to him, he's a jerk." It was almost as if it had been programmed in to him to respond in such a way almost as soon as the words left his lips.

She took a step forward, slowly pulling his head down with her small yet rough hands until his head was almost in line with hers.

"And I heard what you said back," her voice dropped its professional tone for but a split second, 'Thank you, Octavian. Do you love me?"

Her eyes rolled lazily until they were half closed, waiting for his answer.

"Yes."

"How are you so certain?"

"Because even though I loved you from the moment I saw you I let Jason come in after you. Because it made you happy, love to me isn't about loving someone until you are together it's about loving them forever even if they're with someone else."

"Did that hurt you? Letting him take me away," it was almost as if she was torturing him, but now was the moment to be brave and forget about all of the rules ever laid down for the subject of love.

"When you love someone like I do, it's almost like breathing- so natural- and when it's gone you cannot live without it so you silently suffer. All the while wishing you could have the chance for one more breath which you took for granted so many times." His closed his eyes waiting for her response, wishing that this was his turn to have her offer up her heart for the kind of love he wanted. A pure love where he wasn't crazy in thinking that they would be together until the end.

"Does it pain you to know you are leaving soon, that you cannot spend any more time pursuing me- no more dreams about...forever?"

The eighteen year old swallowed, he was older- yet she seemed to have all of the control as he transfixed his eyes onto her cream coloured face and stared deep into her dark eyes until he swore he couldn't find his way back out to the real world.

"Forever, isn't it such a big word. But it is such a small, minute slither of time when you love- when you love a girl named Reyna who is completely unattainable but will never give up on and wait around forever just so I can have a chance at your heart. There is not enough days in the longest lifetime to give you all of my love and heart to you; like you deserve. So to me, no matter how long I have left, it will never be enough."

_'Where are all of these words coming from, last time I was practically tongue tied- now I'm proclaiming my love for her like it's the simplest thing in the world? And when did I go around sharing my feelings? When did my 'superstitious Augur act crumble?'_

_'You can thank me later...you stupid, idiot lovesick puppy. You can call this my peace offering- and I'm sure that your Augur act was just that- an act. But the real question is, did it work?'_

"Jason called me heartless..."

"I thought we already established that he was a stupid boy jerk who doesn't know a good thing when he sees it," he could feel the smile that rose to his face as he mimicked her expression.

"That kiss, I want you to know from me that had something to do with you sacrificing yourself in a week," head down once more to block out his pathetically hopeless expression that had formed.

_'Jason was right...'_

_'No he wasn't, do you think I would have directed you to do something so utterly stupid- yet brave I might add, under my guidance- when it was for something like making Grace right?'_

_'What are you saying exactly?'_

_'You moronic pile of sword shavings, listen to the girl or so help me gods...'_

"I'm saying that I did it for selfish reasons, I have a confession...'

**Flashback Reyna P.O.V**

_There were two of them, males of course; their eyes practically burning my back with such concentrated stares. They were muttering things to each other, extremely loudly I might add, rather distracting when you were in the middle of trying to impress some new faces. I was about to go over and complain but noticed nobody else seemed to be bothered, or in fact notice the boys entirely! Like they were invisible...foolishly a part of me wondered if they were in fact ghosts- I mean if gods and monsters existed and were able to produce offspring couldn't ghosts exist too?_

_I insisted on ignoring them as I let my mouth open and close automatically, throwing words together in jumbled sentences that I didn't even understand but seemed to impress those around me. It gave me great joy to be able to put myself on auto-pilot and allow myself a moment to relax knowing that I was still subconsciously talking to others but having no need to think of what to say. It worked great back with Circe when she would bombard me with questions I didn't even understand._

_But I couldn't control it anymore, it was like they were trying to send me a message to look across so I did and caught eyes with a boy with blond hair and blue eyes. He was awfully striking but had a smile on his face that made me immediately label him as arrogant and turn around again. _

_..._

_I found out that boys name later that day, he had a group of people in a seemingly worshiped trance before he left them and came over almost boyishly shy._

_"Reyna, right?' tone wise it was rather high and filled with undoubtable nerves- for what I had no clue- and his smile was back but instead of seeming arrogant it looked like it lit up his entire face and from his chin up to the highest tip of messy unruly curls. Yes up close he had curls, baby ones that had obviously been abused as they were forced to straighten. His eyes were amazingly clear and when he said my name it was like they were gleaming, like mine were as I took him in._

_"Octavian, get over here!' the owner of the other pair of eyes from before shrieked as I turned away from who I now knew as Octavian to glare at the other boy._

_I soon found out his name was Jason Grace and although sometimes sweet- was nothing compared to the utter adoration I got from Octavian._

_..._

_He changed. That tall boy with endearing- yes endearing- curls that seemed to glow golden and eyes light up along with a smile that would put a certain cat to shame had changed. Constantly we were at one another's throats, shouting anything that came to our minds at each other as we entered another almost never ending game of wits and clever remarks. We were either shouting or in passive calmness, yet never stopping our little game._

_When Jason 'asked me out' all I could think of was how Octavian would have done it so much differently than just over his shoulder as he left me. The Augur would have planned out something to surprise me the question he would treat with life or death seriousness. The_ old_ Augur at least, the new one was a completely different human entirely; he didn't even say anything about the fact that I agreed. Just smirked and let out another snide comment before swiftly walking off. But it wasn't as if I fancied the boy, he was just someone to compare Grace's flaws and mistakes against- nothing but another digit in the camps population. He was infuriating, reminding me of everything Circe had warned me about males and their mind games- I was the daughter of Bellona, and practically in charge of the whole camp after so little time in the scheme of things- it was only natural I would consider Jason, although another male, who seemed to have captured the camps adoration after they were lost when _he _became all that I had heard he stood against. A power hungry coward who seemed to let his true arrogance shine through as he unjustifiably placed himself above the other campers. Jason may be flawed, but at least he seemed human enough to recognisethat he was._

_..._

_I saw that look again- he hid it well and it made my stomach fill with a sickness I couldn't shake no matter what I did. I had never lost him, just pushed a struggling boy away who hung on like I was his only life preserver. It made me feel with groundless guilt I was still 'with' Jason. There was a yearning to go to Octavian who still possessed the look was so far hidden and that his smile barely showed and his glow mixed in with his sickly colouring that lathered him in an unsavory glow . But there was no point for I did not need him, he was nothing but another digit. Just one more digit. _

_He was stuck inside his deluded mind, the demon he had revealed within his soul pouncing on any sign of weakness which he would pelt with relentless determination, poisoning the camp and pushing for control as if it were second nature. As if we had never sat together talking while Jason was doing important business. How I used to search for him with the excuse of finding Jason even if I knew he wasn't even on the grounds- relishing in the hours I would spend with the Augur by my side searching for the one I lusted. Lust is not love. I would never love. For love was for the weak. I may not be able to convince myself on the inside I hated the ancestor of a mighty god, but I could throw it in his face. There was something about him, even back then that made me take pleasure in his company- something to stop me from forgetting who was almost lost. He made me a better person, more grounded and sure of myself and the words I spoke whether he was aware of it or not, at first because he inspired me when I came into a new world and then now when I would use his hatred for fuel to plough on._

_..._

_He was officially driving me crazy, those words he would howl out to the sky every so often clung to my brain as I tried to push the thoughts of him away. I wanted him out from under my skin. But no matter how terrible he made himself look and sound - Octavian himself was a horrid man- but not the child who I still hoped for. I was supposed to aid every camper, Lupa had told and praised me for my work, even though she was unaware that the camper I was assisting was one from the past hidden inside a monster. Why him though? A desperate yearning to find one lost soul out of so many, something was missing but what I was still waiting on finding._

_ Now that Jason is gone there is nothing stopping me from searching closer, that is besides Octavian himself who seems to receive great joy from throwing pressuring me into giving him more power- although he was far too hungry for fame to notice that I myself was too caught up in our past that I kept trying to force him back to. I, dare I say it, miss when he used to fill campers brains with knowledge and kept his passion to a normal standard, unlike now when he rules with a cold smirk and thrusts his opinions and doomsday theories down everyone's throat. But that does not mean that I would fall sad if I were to fail, fail one person out of the entire camp._

_..._

_Ever since Jason returned I found myself trapped inside a web I myself set up. I've been in Octavian's house and seen compassion in his eyes- not the harrowing gaze he likes to fix me with, to mess with my insides and make my throat hoarse from screaming. I pride myself on being a strong leader, always sure of my words and the people around me, all falling neatly into different categories. Except the ever exasperating Augur who seemed to jump category; leaving me to reanalyse the facts and find the place he fits so I can put my mind to ease._

_Maybe I'm sick, but then so is he. Together I'm not sure how long we can cope, but with every heart beat it seems that my heart is pumping poison through my veins instead of blood. When he and screeches, there is a flash of emotion in his usually blank blue orbs as when I my voice hardens and I'm caught on my toes. This deadly game is slowly killing us. I feel like I'm almost drowning, like trying to keep my head above the water- but the waves keep crashing against me and are getting taller- so impossibly tall that it's getting harder and harder to keep myself from being submerged. But if I go under, what's going to happen to me?_

_All I know is I must win._

_..._

_Jason and I are finished, at least he never changed- I always knew that we would never stay together but I could settle for him- perhaps grow to accept it as what my life would lead to. I know it sounds terrible but it's how I saw it. Then he was sweet and kind to me, I was special. Then he chose another girl and it seemed like my heart would shatter into a million pieces because maybe I was actually beginning to more than lust him back. But that's impossible, I do not love. Then again perhaps his heart never fell to me in the first place, maybe it was always meant for Piper- yet that still didn't stop my heart swelling and jealousy fill me to a level I didn't even know I could hit. I was alone with a camp to take care of and budding curiosity for a man who now may or may not be as much of a monster as I believed._

_I know that even now it's pitiful to think, as I stare down at Octavian in his hospital bed that perhaps Jason was right all of those times I caught him tease the older boy relentlessly about his crush on me. But why does this concern me, I am yet to work out- that is why I enjoy things that I can see. Octavian almost looked innocent as he lay there, but that may be because I've seen he is scarred and now that maybe there is more to his story than previously analyses. The guilty almost seems to look so guiltless from here._

_..._

_A lot has happened. Octavian and I talked and I've handled the entire camp, even Lupa's queries about my sudden interest in our Augur. To which I do not even comprehend, we were civilised and it shocked me how different he was, but I treated him as any other camper. Lupa didn't seem concerned for my lack of answer, she was more concerned in telling us he was going to die- in a week and I honestly thought about walking away, away from Lupa, away from Camp Jupiter, away from everything and everyone- but that's what I'd do after he's gone, not now while he's still alive. I don't know where my mind rests, and in what relations it is to my lost heart. I feel so conflicted because Octavian was always there, yes that was it, he was always constantly there to pester me for more or even just to lash me with a harsh remark. I've finished my categorizations of him and now he is successfully placed. Yet I still wanted more because..._

_he was the only one who never changed, Jason changed; he changed his mind for forever with me for Piper, but I had a certainty that our Augur had only grown and hidden himself, and that he was still just the same as he was from day one. Reminding me of where I came from, that is why it saddens me of his death- yes that must be it at least, and when he is gone my fascination with him will vanish as well. It will all be perfect in the end._

_..._

_He kissed me and I kissed him back for selfish reasons- to feel his lips at least once before he died- because I wanted to know my reaction, whether my sickness I had caught for him was more that morbid curiosity? Was this his parting gift for me? I was willing to fight to see where this would end, to see whether my feelings were of _love _or not. _ _I feel him underneath my fingertips I think that perhaps I had no need to fight because there was no battle needed. Then again it felt wrong, so unequivocally wrong to kiss someone who did not possess those feelings in return. Because in the moment before he kissed me I knew this was what I wanted. I'm not special. I'm harsh and cruel with terrible people skills and usually take everything seriously yet I liked him and he seemed to like me. Now I need to think._

_..._

_I've been thinking. You know you love someone to a depth of no return when you cannot find any words to describe what they mean to you. So I found him again to see if when I looked at him and thought about both of us it was positive or negative, after all there was only one week. If it was no then he'd been gone and I could move on and my feelings will be repressed until I move on and this mishap would die with him. If it was a yes then we'd have a week._

_So I came and I listened to a very...interesting...conversation. I saw his expression and it was the one from all those years ago, it was also the one from the day before and the day before that because he always had the expression. But only now that his guard is dropped I see it never left. Then I realised I wore that same expression, and if it meant what I thought it did then perhaps Jason had inadvertently said something useful after all. So when Octavian finally walked over I stopped him and piled question on top of question which I could tell he answered with utmost honesty. That honesty in those words meant everything; it was higher than the camp and Lupa's expectations. The more he talked the more my brain finalised its answer- so I told him this and then did something very reckless. _

**End of Flashback.**

Reyna stopped talking and crashed her lips against his, and this time there was no sudden pull back. It was _the_ kiss, the one in every romance- shown in so many different ways but all came back to one feeling- completion.

"What will happen in a week then?' his voice came out hoarse, her fingers back rubbing his arm before she lent closer.

"We let it come."

* * *

><p><strong>And to those who are reading this and did not give up I am so very sorry (PM me if you want an extremely long reason) but I don't want to type it up here and sound all weird and pathetic like I'm giving an excuse. I know it was unacceptable to leave you all for ever and definitely not okay at all. I really suck as a person, I'm really sorry- but in my defense life didn't come with an instruction manual...which I probably wouldn't read anyways but that's not the point. I'm pretty sure that half of those who actually get a reminder in their email won't even remember the story but that's my fault entirely and I want to thank you all for staying and commenting kind words and pushing me to update (which I'm still not sure is an entirely good idea but I'll let you all be the judge of that.) I know it's been a while (especially since I spent an hour trying to remember how to add a new chapter) but not to worry I am back now and staying until I can call this complete. <strong>

**I know this chapter was extremely long, kinda jumps everywhere and you may not like the whole Reyna part (but I had to bring them together.) The next chapters will contain some action, not sentence upon sentence of descriptions and 'she's just perfect' etc etc etc. I made it long as a sorry and to give you all something to 'chew on' while I type up the next chapter.  
><strong>


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